MANAGEMENT OF CANCER PAIN WITH TRANSDERMAL FENTANYL - PHASE-IV TRIAL, UNIVERSITY-OF-IOWA

A multicenter study was conducted to determine the patient and physician acceptability of transdermal fentanyl in th management of cancer-related pain. In this study, 10 cancer patients at the University of Iowa received transdermal fentanyl after discontinuing their prior opioid analgesic; 7 patients completed questionnaires before and at 2 and 4 wk following transdermal fentanyl application. There was no significant difference in visual analogue scale scores for pain or mood. Verbal pain descriptor scores improved at 2 wk (P < .05). There was a nonsignificant tendency toward increased depression and nausea; however, patients spent less time thinking about their illness and felt their cancer was less disruptive to their closest friends/relatives. Constipation, appetite, drowsiness, and concentration were not statistically different Patients reported improved sleep habits at 2 wk (P < .05) and tended to require less help with eating, dressing, washing, and using the bathroom. All patients completing the study chose to continue transdermal fentanyl for their cancer pain management. In summary, these data demonstrate the analgesic efficacy of the transdermal fentanyl, system and suggest that some patients with cancer-related pain could benefit from its use.