LONG-TERM TREATMENT OF CANCER PAIN WITH TRANSDERMAL FENTANYL

The long-term therapy of 51 patients using transdermal fentanyl was ev aluated. The transdermal therapy was performed for 158 days (range, 15 -855 days). The need for increasing dosages of transdermal fentanyl wa s caused by the progression of the underlying cancer disease (mean ini tial dose 69.5 mu g fentanyl/hr; mean final dose, 167.7 mu g fentanyl/ hr). The transdermal system was changed every third day. Application i ntervals had to be shortened in 23.5% of the patients. Pain reduction was good throughout the study. Severe side effects did not occur Const ipation and the need for laxatives occurred less frequently than with previously administered oral morphine. Shin tolerance of the transderm al system was good. The treatment of cancer pain with transdermal fent anyl can be performed as a long-term therapy and result in good pain r elief. Considering its specific pharmacokinetic properties, it is an a lternative medication on step III of the World Health Organization's g uidelines for cancer pain management. (C) U.S. Cancer Rain Relief Comm ittee, 1998.