Needle in the spine: new hope for cancer pain?

NCT ID NCT04119037

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tests a procedure called cordotomy, where a needle is guided into the spinal cord to block pain signals. It's for people with advanced cancer who have severe pain on one side of the body below the shoulder. The goal is to see if it reduces pain better than a fake procedure.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

cordotomy (a spinal cord procedure)

What this could lead to

If it works, this could offer a new way to ease severe cancer pain that doesn't respond to standard treatments.

What could go wrong

This is a small, early study with only 27 people. The procedure carries risks like bleeding or infection, and it's not yet proven to be effective.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

cancer

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • M D Anderson Cancer Center

    Houston, Texas, 77030, United States