0000000001257994
AUTHOR
S. Mercadante
Opioid-induced hyperalgesia after rapid titration with intravenous morphine: Switching and re-titration to intravenous methadone.
Rapid titration with intravenous morphine (IV-MO) provides fast and efficient pain relief in cancer patients with severe-excruciating pain. However, some patients, after an initially favourable response, can develop an hyperexcitated state unrelieved or worsened by further dose increments.Eighty-one patients admitted on emergency basis titrated with IV-MO were assessed.12 patients were unsuccessfully titrated with IV-MO. Switching to intravenous methadone (IV-ME) and titrating the doses proved to be successfully.In escalating opioid doses rapidly a recognition of the development of hyperalgesia should be suspected. Increasing doses of opioids may stimulate rather than inhibiting the central…
Salivary gland dysfunction (‘dry mouth’) in patients with cancer: a consensus statement
A group of interested professionals was convened to develop some evidence-based recommendations on the management of salivary gland dysfunction (SGD) in oncology patients. A Medline search was performed to identify the literature on SGD. The abstracts of all identified papers were read, and the full texts of all relevant papers were reviewed. The evidence was graded according to the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network grading system for recommendations in evidence-based guidelines. The summary of the main recommendations are: (1) patients with cancer should be regularly assessed for SGD (grade of recommendation - D); (2) the management of SGD should be individualised (D); (3) consid…
Perioperative care of the elderly oncology patient: A report from the SIOG task force on the perioperative care of older patients with cancer
Abstract The increasing number of older cancer patients seen in daily practice demands reflection on how to optimize their care during the perioperative period. Optimally tailored surgical management, at present the most successful cancer treatment, firmly rests on an accurate and careful anesthesiological management. The unique peculiarities of anesthesia in older cancer patients prompted the International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG) to put together a panel of international experts with the aim of reviewing the literature and drafting a consensus document. This article summarizes their views.
A randomised controlled study on the use of anti-inflammatory drugs in patients with cancer pain on morphine therapy: effects on dose-escalation and a pharmacoeconomic analysis.
The role of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in cancer pain has been well established in the treatment of mild pain and in association with opioids in the treatment of moderate to severe pain. The aim of this study was to verify the effects of NSAIDs on morphine escalation in advanced cancer patients with pain followed-up at home and to assess the pharmacoeconomic implications. A prospective randomised controlled study was carried out in 156 consecutive advanced cancer patients with pain followed-up at home in the period December 1999-December 2000. In this group of patients, 47 were selected with pain progression after 1 week of opioid stabilisation. Patients were randomly as…