The Management of Opioid-Induced Nausea and Vomiting in Patients with Cancer: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Opioids are the foundation of treatment for cancer pain but can cause side-effects, one of the most common being nausea and vomiting, which can impair quality of life. To evaluate the evidence for the management of opioid-induced nausea and vomiting. This systematic review was undertaken as part of an update of the European Association for Palliative Care's opioid guidelines. Searches of MEDLINE (1966-2017) and EMBASE (1980-2017) were done. Key eligibility criteria were: randomized controlled trials conducted in patients with cancer. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluations system was applied to formulate recommendations. Fifteen studies were eligible (1524 patients). The studies were grouped as follows: opioid switching (n = 8); the use of antiemetics to treat opioid-induced nausea and vomiting (n = 4); and change of route of administration of the opioid (n = 3). Three recommendations were formulated: A weak recommendation for switching from morphine to oxycodone in cancer patients with nausea (quality D); a weak recommendation for switching from tramadol to either codeine or hydrocodone for pain in cancer patients with nausea (quality D); and a weak recommendation for switching from morphine/oxycodone to methadone using the three-day switch method in patients with increasing pain considered untreatable with further opioid titration and/or with opioid-related side effects (quality C). This systematic review can make only weak recommendations for the management of opioid-induced nausea and vomiting. There remains a need for high-quality studies before strong recommendations on the management of opioid-induced nausea and vomiting can be made.