Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32627056›Full record

ArticleSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2021

The role of methadone in cancer-induced bone pain: a retrospective cohort study.

Merlina Sulistio, Robert Wojnar, Seraphina Key, Justin Kwok, Ziad Al-Rubaie, Natasha Michael

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.3field-weighted citation impact, top 21% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 14 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Methadone versus other opioids for refractory malignant bone pain: a pilot randomised controlled study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2024
    Trial
  3. Methadone for intractable cancer pain associated with pelvic floor lesions: a retrospective analysis of 36 cases.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Merlina SulistioPalliative and Supportive Care Research Department, Cabrini Health, 646 High St, Prahran, Melbourne, VIC, 3181, Australia. msulistio@cabrini.com.au.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5610-4023
Robert WojnarPalliative and Supportive Care Research Department, Cabrini Health, 646 High St, Prahran, Melbourne, VIC, 3181, Australia.
Seraphina KeyFaculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Justin KwokFaculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Ziad Al-RubaieSchool of Medicine, University of Notre Dame Australia Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Natasha MichaelPalliative and Supportive Care Research Department, Cabrini Health, 646 High St, Prahran, Melbourne, VIC, 3181, Australia.
Cabrini Hospital · AUMonash University · AUThe University of Notre Dame Australia · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeCancer-induced bone pain (CIBP) can be challenging to manage in advanced cancer. The unique properties of methadone may have a role in refractory CIBP. We aimed to evaluate the analgesic effects of methadone for CIBP when other opioids are ineffective or intolerable.

methodsA retrospective study of palliative care inpatients rotated to methadone from another opioid for CIBP over a 4-year period. Primary outcome was ≥ 30% reduction in pain intensity (11-point numeric rating scale) from baseline to completion of methadone rotation (MR). Secondary outcomes were ≥ 50% reduction in pain intensity and changes in long-acting and breakthrough opioid requirements.

resultsNinety-four eligible patients completed MR for the following reasons: poor pain control (72.3%), opioid toxicities (4.3%) or both (23.4%). On completion of MR, 70.2% and 53.2% achieved a ≥ 30% and ≥ 50% reduction in pain respectively, with mean pain intensity score reduced from 5.6 (SD = 2.1) at baseline to 2.6 (SD = 2.5) (p < 0.001). Mean calculated daily methadone dose pre-MR was 25.7 mg (SD = 10.9), with 72.3% of patients requiring a lower dose on completion of MR (mean 17.0 mg, SD = 8.5). The mean number of breakthrough opioid analgesia used a day reduced from 3.4 (SD = 2.3) to 1.8 (SD = 1.7) (p < 0.001).

conclusionsMR for CIBP may result in reduction in pain intensity, when other opioids are ineffective or intolerable, with patients requiring reduced overall dosing of their long-acting opioid and frequency of breakthrough opioid use.

Indexed as

AgedAnalgesics, OpioidBone and BonesCancer PainFemaleHumansMaleMethadoneNeoplasmsPain ManagementRetrospective StudiesAnalgesics, OpioidMethadoneBone painCancer painMethadoneOpioidOpioid rotationPalliative care

Identifiers

PMID32627056
OpenAlexW3039277203

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.