APS 2011 Chronic Cancer Pain

Sublingual fentanyl tablets were generally well tolerated in patients with cancer-related breakthrough pain aged 65 years and older in conjunction with around-the-clock opioid treatment, investigators reported during the American Pain Society’s 30th Annual Scientific Meeting.

Fentanyl sublingual spray was significantly more effective at relieving breakthrough cancer pain at 30 minutes compared with placebo. That’s the conclusion of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase 3 study that was presented during the American Pain Society’s 30th Annual Scientific Meeting.

Fentanyl sublingual (SL) spray demonstrated statistically significant improvements in breakthrough cancer pain relief as early as 5 minutes compared with placebo, investigators reported during the American Pain Society’s 30th Annual Scientific Meeting.

A literature review to determine comparative effectiveness of dosage forms of rapid-onset opioids used to treat cancer-related breakthrough pain (BTP) identified a a gap in knowledge regarding this pharmacotherapy, according to information presented at the American Pain Society’s 30th Annual Scientific Meeting.

Current treatment options do not adequately address chronic chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, leading to investigations of both cellular mechanisms and newer therapeutic modalities, according to research reported upon during the American Pain Society’s 30th Annual Scientific Meeting.

Variability in baseline breakthrough pain (BTP) has no impact on the analgesic response to sublingual fentanyl tablets or placebo, as demonstrated by an analysis presented at the American Pain Society’s 30th Annual Scientific Meeting.

A subgroup analysis presented at the American Pain Society’s 30th Annual Scientific Meeting demonstrated that fentanyl buccal soluble film is effective in the management of breakthrough neuropathic pain in cancer patients.