Psychotropic adjuvant analgesics for cancer pain

Abstract

AbstractThe mainstay of pharmacological interventions for cancer pain continues to be the appropriate use of narcotic analgesics. There is, however, growing awareness and acceptance of the benefits derived for cancer pain patients from psychiatric contributions to pain control, including the use of psychotropic adjuvant analgesics. Knowledge of the indications and usefulness of psychotropic drugs in cancer pain will be most rewarding, particularly since these drugs are useful not only in the treatment of psychiatric complications of cancer, but also as adjuvant analgesic agents in the management of cancer pain. This paper reviews the literature on the use of antidepressants, psychostimulants, neuroleptics and anxiolytics in the management of cancer pain. Mechanisms of analgesia, drug selection, recommendations for clinical usage and issues for future research are discussed. The appropriate and timely use of psychotropic adjuvant analgesic drugs represents an opportunity for active psychiatric contribution to the multidisciplinary management of cancer pain.