ArticleThe oncologist2019
Response to Oral Immediate-Release Opioids for Breakthrough Pain in Patients with Advanced Cancer with Adequately Controlled Background Pain.
Article in The oncologist, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed.
- Establishing an efficacy hierarchy for breakthrough cancer pain management: a network meta-analysis of rapid-onset fentanyl formulations and morphine.BMC medicine · 2026Article
- Strategies for Treating Acute Pain in Patients with Opioid Dependence, Opioid Use Disorder, or Long-Term Opioid Therapy: A Scoping Review.International journal of general medicine · 2026Review
- Scheduled and Breakthrough Opioid Use for Cancer Pain in an Inpatient Setting at a Tertiary Cancer Hospital.Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.) · 2024Article
- Efficacy of adenosylmethionine combined with Si Mo Tang in treatment of neonatal jaundice.American journal of translational research · 2022Article
- Review
- Factors Associated with Cancer-Related Pain Requiring High-Dose Opioid Use in Palliative Cancer Patients.Palliative medicine reports · 2021Article
- The Endless Question of Opioid Doses for Breakthrough Pain.The oncologist · 2020Article
- Breakthrough Cancer Pain in Patients Receiving Low Doses of Opioids for Background Pain.The oncologist · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
12 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThere is limited evidence about the response of breakthrough pain (BTP) to the most commonly used oral immediate-release (IR) opioids. Our aim was to determine response rate to oral IR opioids for BTP control in patients with advanced cancer. MATERIALS AND
methodsIn this prospective study, palliative care outpatients, with advanced cancer and adequately managed background pain, were asked to complete a self-administered survey. We assessed patients' baseline demographics, pain characteristics, alcoholism (CAGE questionnaire), tobacco and substance abuse, and Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scores (ESAS). We determined the effectiveness of oral IR BTP opioids by using a 7-point Likert scale ranging from "very ineffective" to "very effective." "Effective" and "very effective" were defined a priori as a good response to IR opioids for BTP.
resultsOf 592 evaluable patients, 192 (32%) had background pain of ≤3 (ESAS pain scale 0-10). Among these 192 patients, 152 (79%) reported BTP, 143/152 (94%) took oral IR opioids for BTP, and 127/143 (89%) responded to a median dose of 10% of the total morphine equivalent daily dose. In univariate logistic regression analysis, younger age (odds ratio [OR], 0.94 per year;
conclusionThe vast majority of patients with advanced cancer with adequately controlled background pain reported a good response to oral IR opioids for BTP, supporting their use in clinical practice. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Oral immediate-release opioids are standard treatment for cancer breakthrough pain. However, information regarding treatment response to these commonly used opioids is limited. This study provides information that the vast majority of patients with advanced cancer, with adequately controlled background pain, reported good response to oral immediate release opioids for managing their breakthrough pain episodes. Results of this study support the use of conventional oral immediate release opioids that are relatively inexpensive and readily available for management of breakthrough pain in patients with advanced cancer.
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