• Jack Fu, Carolina Gutiérrez, Eduardo Bruera, Ying Guo, and Shana Palla.
• Department of Palliative Care and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, TX 77030, Houston, USA. jfu@mdanderson.org
• Support Care Cancer. 2013 May 1;21(5):1227-32.

PurposeThis study aims to analyze the utilization and effectiveness of injectable spasticity medications by the physiatry team at a referral-based tertiary cancer center.MethodsA retrospective review and analysis of patient and injection characteristics were obtained from patients who had received onabotulinum toxin or phenol nerve block injections from December 1, 2007 through January 31, 2012. Out of 3,724 physiatry consultations during this period, 20 (less than 1 %) different cancer patients received a total of 54 total procedures.ResultsThe majority of patients (17/20, 85 %) had a positive response to the injection. A positive response to the injection was defined by: (1) if the patient qualified to receive and was given another injection or (2) if there is a record of improvement if they did not receive another injection. A total of ten of 20 (50 %) patients received only one injection. Of these, seven of ten (70 %) reported a positive response to the injected agent. Those with only one injection tended to live farther away and die sooner. Four of 54 (7 %) injection procedures resulted in undesirable reported side effects (two for phenol, two for botulinum toxin). Nine of 54 (17 %) procedures occurred while the patients were on a chemotherapy protocol. All patients were injected at least 1 year out from initial diagnosis.

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