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Pain management in the opioid‐addicted patient with cancer
Author(s) -
Hoffman Mark,
Provatas Anastas,
Lyver Anne,
Kanner Ronald
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19910901)68:5<1121::aid-cncr2820680539>3.0.co;2-1
Subject(s) - medicine , cancer pain , dosing , opioid , methadone , narcotic , cancer , pain management , analgesic , methadone maintenance , intensive care medicine , chronic pain , heroin , psychiatry , anesthesia , drug , pharmacology , receptor
Two patients with an active or recent history of opioid abuse had painful complications of cancer that required narcotic analgesic therapy. Initial pain management was difficult due to issues of distinguishing tolerance from disease progression, concurrent methadone maintenance, and drug‐seeking behavioral patterns. Pain control was achieved with psychological support, medication contracts, and attention to proper dosing of opioids. Suggested guidelines for management of these cases are offered.