Methadona as first-line opioid treatment for cancer pain in a apalliative care unit. A retrospective analysis

MAMMANA, G; VEGA, F; VIGNAROLI, E; CAMERANO, G; PEIRANO, GABRIELA; PASTRANA, TANIA; VARELA, G; ARMESTO, ARNALDO; BERTOLINO, MARIELA; RUSSO, JORGELINA; RUGGIERO, RAÚL A.; DRAN, GRACIELA

SUPPORTIVE CARE IN CANCER

SPRINGER

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2016 vol. 24 p. 3551 - 3556

0941-4355

ABSTRACT Background: Methadone is increasingly being used to manage cancer pain in developing countries, mainly because of its low cost. However, there exists little information about its use in a palliative care setting. Preliminary data from our Palliative Care Unit (PCU) suggested that Methadone was the most frequent choice as the first- line alternative for patients requiring strong opioids. Background: Methadone is increasingly being used to manage cancer pain in developing countries, mainly because of its low cost. However, there exists little information about its use in a palliative care setting. Preliminary data from our Palliative Care Unit (PCU) suggested that Methadone was the most frequent choice as the first- line alternative for patients requiring strong opioids. Background: Methadone is increasingly being used to manage cancer pain in developing countries, mainly because of its low cost. However, there exists little information about its use in a palliative care setting. Preliminary data from our Palliative Care Unit (PCU) suggested that Methadone was the most frequent choice as the first- line alternative for patients requiring strong opioids. Background: Methadone is increasingly being used to manage cancer pain in developing countries, mainly because of its low cost. However, there exists little information about its use in a palliative care setting. Preliminary data from our Palliative Care Unit (PCU) suggested that Methadone was the most frequent choice as the first- line alternative for patients requiring strong opioids. Background: Methadone is increasingly being used to manage cancer pain in developing countries, mainly because of its low cost. However, there exists little information about its use in a palliative care setting. Preliminary data from our Palliative Care Unit (PCU) suggested that Methadone was the most frequent choice as the first- line alternative for patients requiring strong opioids. Background: Methadone is increasingly being used to manage cancer pain in developing countries, mainly because of its low cost. However, there exists little information about its use in a palliative care setting. Preliminary data from our Palliative Care Unit (PCU) suggested that Methadone was the most frequent choice as the first- line alternative for patients requiring strong opioids. Background: Methadone is increasingly being used to manage cancer pain in developing countries, mainly because of its low cost. However, there exists little information about its use in a palliative care setting. Preliminary data from our Palliative Care Unit (PCU) suggested that Methadone was the most frequent choice as the first- line alternative for patients requiring strong opioids. Background: Methadone is increasingly being used to manage cancer pain in developing countries, mainly because of its low cost. However, there exists little information about its use in a palliative care setting. Preliminary data from our Palliative Care Unit (PCU) suggested that Methadone was the most frequent choice as the first- line alternative for patients requiring strong opioids. Background: Methadone is increasingly being used to manage cancer pain in developing countries, mainly because of its low cost. However, there exists little information about its use in a palliative care setting. Preliminary data from our Palliative Care Unit (PCU) suggested that Methadone was the most frequent choice as the first- line alternative for patients requiring strong opioids. Background: Methadone is increasingly being used to manage cancer pain in developing countries, mainly because of its low cost. However, there exists little information about its use in a palliative care setting. Preliminary data from our Palliative Care Unit (PCU) suggested that Methadone was the most frequent choice as the first- line alternative for patients requiring strong opioids. Objective: To describe the characteristic of prescription of strong opioids as the initial choice to treat moderate to severe cancer pain along the first month of treatment in a Tertiary PCU in Argentina. : To describe the characteristic of prescription of strong opioids as the initial choice to treat moderate to severe cancer pain along the first month of treatment in a Tertiary PCU in Argentina. Methods: Retrospective analysis based on the records of all new opioid- naive patients with moderate to severe cancer pain referred to PC consultation during a twelve-month period, who were indicated strong opioids in the first consult. Collected data included type and dose of opioid, variations in the intensity of pain and need and reasons for opioid rotation (OR). Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the results. : Retrospective analysis based on the records of all new opioid- naive patients with moderate to severe cancer pain referred to PC consultation during a twelve-month period, who were indicated strong opioids in the first consult. Collected data included type and dose of opioid, variations in the intensity of pain and need and reasons for opioid rotation (OR). Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the results. Results: Fifty- six patients met the inclusion criteria. At baseline, most had ECOG score of 3-4, mixed pain and exhibited poor prognostic factors. Methadone was the most frequent opioid accounting for more than two thirds of prescriptions both initially and at the last assessment. The initial and final opioid dose were similar, although significant decrease in the intensity of pain was achieved (p