Chronic Pain Of Malignant Origin Research Articles

A Comparative Study of Transdermal Buprenorphine and Oral Morphine in the Treatment of Chronic Pain of Malignant Origin.

Background and Objective:The study was designed to compare the efficacy and adverse effects of buprenorphine transdermal (TD) against oral morphine in pain management of cancer patient.Methods:A randomized open-labeled prospective study was done in palliative cancer pain clinic in a tertiary care medical college between August 2017 and January 2018, to compare the efficacy (pain assessed by VAS) and adverse events (CTCAEv4) between arm A, buprenorphine TD, (20 μg/h, extended 7 days formulation) and arm B, oral morphine (10mg immediate releasing formulation). Patients with solid tumour malignancies with VAS score >40 (moderate to severe pain) were included in study.Results:63 patients were analyzed. Commonest primary cancers were breast in females and head and neck in male individuals in both arms. Initial VAS score of arm A and arm B were 81.25 and 82.26 respectively. By 1st week, 11 arm A patients were relieved from pain. Another 17 patients of arm A became pain free by 2nd week, total dose of 40 μg/h. Only 4 patients needed 60 μg/h for pain relief. In arm B, 2 patients were relieved by 1 week with total 30mg/day morphine, 11patients were relieved with 60 mg/day by 2nd week and 12 patients with 90 mg/day. 6 patients were relieved with 120 mg/day dose at the end of 4th week. Nausea and constipation were stastically higher in Arm B compared to that of Arm-A.Conclusions:TD Buprenorphine had similar efficacy with oral morphine, with better toxicity profile and better compliance.

High intensity focused ultrasound: surgery of the future?

For 50 years, high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has been a subject of interest for medical research. HIFU causes selective tissue necrosis in a very well defined volume, at a variable distance from the transducer, through heating or cavitation. Over the past decade, the use of HIFU has been investigated in many clinical settings. This literature review aims to summarize recent advances made in the field. A Medline-based literature search (1965-2002) was conducted using the keywords "HIFU" and "high intensity focused ultrasound". Additional literature was obtained from original papers and published meeting abstracts. The most abundant clinical trial data comes from studies investigating its use in the treatment of prostatic disease, although early research looked at applications in neurosurgery. More recently horizons have been broadened, and the potential of HIFU as a non-invasive surgical tool has been demonstrated in many settings including the treatment of tumours of the liver, kidney, breast, bone, uterus and pancreas, as well as conduction defects in the heart, for surgical haemostasis, and the relief of chronic pain of malignant origin. Further clinical evaluation will follow, but recent technological development suggests that HIFU is likely to play a significant role in future surgical practice.

Bioavailability and analgesic effect of sustained release cetobemidone capsules in cancer patients with chronic pain of malignant origin.

Ever since its introduction in 1952, Ketogan has consisted of a combination of the opioid cetobemidone and a spasmolytic drug, A29, in the ratio of 1:5. Its main limitations are the relatively short duration of action and an apparent ceiling effect due to A29. We therefore developed a cetobemidone formulation with sustained release properties (cetobem. s.r.). Forty-seven patients with advanced cancer with moderate/severe pain, treated with regular doses of Ketogan tablets took part in an open phase 1 type pharmacologic/toxicologic study comparing Ketogan tablets and cetobem. s.r. The patients spent at least 4 days in the department. After evaluation during 12 h with Ketogan tablets (3-4 dosing intervals), a loading phase lasting for 36 h with cetobem. s.r. given twice/24 h (total dose of Ketogan tablets per 24 h divided by 2), and synchronous reduction of the dose of Ketogan tablets, a similar evaluation period of 12 h was performed when on treatment with cetobem. s.r. alone. Comparison of data from the two observation periods showed the following: Average relative bioavailability 0.77 SD 0.28. Only 2 patients were remedicated before 12 h when on cetobem. s.r. Duration of action mean 11.9 h, SD 0.3 h. There was no significant difference between Ketogan tablets and cetobem. s.r. periods concerning 'time with no pain'. Side-effects were few. The only significant difference was dry mouth being more severe during the tablet period. Vital signs were unaffected by treatment. It is concluded that cetobem. s.r. can be given every 12 h to cancer patients with chronic pain with satisfactory analgesic effect, a very modest change in side-effect profile and no significant effects on vital signs when substituting cetobem. s.r. for Ketogan tablets in equal daily doses.

Analgesic effect and bioavailability of oral ketogan given as tablets or mixture to patients with chronic pain of malignant origin.

Thirteen cancer patients with moderate to severe chronic pain of malignant origin on treatment with Ketogan tablets were included in an open non-randomized cross-over study comparing the analgesic effect, side effects and serum concentrations of Ketogan tablets and mixture. The patients were six days in hospital and were dosed two days with tablets, two days with mixture and finally another two days with tablets. Recordings of pain and side effects and collection of blood samples prior to dosing and hourly thereafter until remedication were performed on the second day of each dosing period in a morning dose interval. The analgesic effect judged by visual analog score (VAS) and pain intensity differences (PID), the areas under the serum concentration time curves, and the average serum concentrations for the three groups were compared. It was not possible do detect any differences among the three groups concerning the analgesic effect, duration of analgesic effect, the serum concentrations and the side effects. The mean plasma half-life of ketobemidone was 2.74 h +/- 0.90 (SD) and the mean relative bioavailability of the mixture was slightly above 100%. Linear regression analysis revealed a significant correlation between ketobemidone serum concentrations and analgesic effect, VAS, for tablet one and for the mixture but not for tablet two, possibly due to the fixed dosing schedule and to the positive effect of hospitalization on the pain.

Treatment of chronic pain of malignant origin with intrathecal opiates.

The acute administration of intrathecal morphine in man results in analgesia mediated by an opiate receptor. Chronically infused intraspinal opiates have an analgetic action mediated by opiate receptors. Our data appear to indicate that the chronic administration of spinal morphine can provide pain relief for terminal cancer patients for at least 3 months, and that this effect also is mediated by an opiate receptor. There appear to be at least two classes of opiate receptors in the human and animal spinal cords which mediate analgesia. Our preliminary data suggest that, as in the animal model, DADL, a delta-ligand, shows significant activity in a morphine-tolerant spinal cord.

The analgesic effect of the GABA-agonist THIP in patients with chronic pain of malignant origin. A phase-1-2 study.

Fourteen patients with chronic pain of malignant origin were treated with escalating doses of THIP intramuscularly 5-30 mg in an open phase 1 study. Analgesic activity was demonstrated in 60% of the patients at the level of 20 mg THIP and a dose response relation was present. Side effects, sedation, dizziness, euphoria, nausea, and blurred vision were present in up to 80% of the patients and were dose limiting. The maximum serum concentration was reached within 1 h after dosing in 87% of all administrations. Mean t1/2 was 1.52 +/- 0.63 h and the clearance was 0.49 +/- 0.181 min. Significant correlations were demonstrated between serum concentration, dose of THIP, analgesic effect and side effects. It is concluded that THIP cannot be used for the treatment of chronic cancer pain, not because of insufficient analgesic effect but because of unacceptable side effects.

Continuous low-dose intrathecal morphine administration in the treatment of chronic pain of malignant origin

Continuous low-dose intrathecal morphine administration in the treatment of chronic pain of malignant origin

Continuous Low-Dose Intrathecal Morphine Administration in the Treatment of Chronic Pain of Malignant Origin

ONOFRIO, B. M.; YAKSH, T. L.; ARNOLD, P. G.; Bridenbaugh, L. Donald M.D. Author Information

Continuous Low-dose Intrathecal Morphine Administration in the Treatment of Chronic Pain of Malignant Origin

Continuous Low-dose Intrathecal Morphine Administration in the Treatment of Chronic Pain of Malignant Origin