Long-term analgesic pharmacotherapy in addiction to intranasal fentanyl

Objective The risk of inappropriate use of opioid drugs increases, especially the short-acting ones. The risk of addiction in patients with cancer with a relatively good prognosis is a challenge. The aim of the study is to evaluate the decision to continue therapy with a short-acting fentanyl. Methods The study concerns a 49-year-old male patient with an advanced neuroendocrine tumour in the pre-sacral region. The research method includes the medical history and physical examination, an analysis of the patient's medical record and a self-designed questionnaire to assess the degree of dependence on opioid drugs. Results The analysis of the results of the survey confirmed the patient's dependence on opioid drugs. He gave positive answers to 16 out of 19 questions in the survey. Conclusion Despite an addiction, the improvement of life quality is of the utmost importance. Therefore, decision to continue the intranasal fentanyl therapy is justified because of toleration and a high satisfactory effect.