Clinical Oncology
Volume 22, Issue 3 , Pages 199-207 , April 2010

Frequency of Opioid Use in a Population of Cancer Patients During the Trajectory of the Disease

  • L. Jarlbaek

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationAuthor for correspondence. L. Jarlbaek, The Research Unit of General Practice, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Winsloewsvej 9A, 5000 Odense C, Denmark. Fax: +45-6550-3980.
    • Department of Oncology, Herlev Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
    • ,
  • D.G. Hansen

      Affiliations

    • The Research Unit of General Practice, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Winsloewsvej 9A, 5000 Odense, Denmark
    • ,
  • E. Bruera

      Affiliations

    • Department of Palliative Care & Rehabilitation Medicine, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
    • ,
  • M. Andersen

      Affiliations

    • The Research Unit of General Practice, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Winsloewsvej 9A, 5000 Odense, Denmark

Received 23 August 2009 ,Revised 17 November 2009 ,Accepted 19 November 2009.

References 

  1. Vuorinen E. Pain as an early symptom in cancer. Clin J Pain. 1993;9(4):272–278
  2. van den Beuken-van Everdingen MH, de Rijke JM, Kessels AG, Schouten HC, van KM, Patijn J. Prevalence of pain in patients with cancer: a systematic review of the past 40 years. Ann Oncol. 2007;18(9):1437–1449
  3. Davis MP, Walsh D. Epidemiology of cancer pain and factors influencing poor pain control. Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 2004;21(2):137–142
  4. Deandrea S, Montanari M, Moja L, Apolone G. Prevalence of undertreatment in cancer pain. A review of published literature. Ann Oncol. 2008;19(12):1985–1991
  5. World Health Organization . Achieving balance in national opioids control policy. Available from: www.who.int2002;
  6. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality . Management of cancer pain. summary, evidence report/technology assessment: Number 35. AHRQ Publication No. 01-E033. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; 2001;Available from: http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/epcsums/canpainsum.htm
  7. Jost L, Roila F. Management of cancer pain: ESMO clinical recommendations. Ann Oncol. 2008;19(Suppl. 2):ii119–ii121
  8. Hamunen K, Laitinen-Parkkonen P, Paakkari P, et al. What do different databases tell about the use of opioids in seven European countries in 2002?. Eur J Pain. 2008;12(6):705–715
  9. World Health Organization . In: Cancer pain relief. With a guide to opioid availability. 2nd edn.. Geneva: World Health Organization; 1996;
  10. Blengini C, Joranson DE, Ryan KM. Italy reforms national policy for cancer pain relief and opioids. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl). 2003;12(1):28–34
  11. Sorensen HT, Sabroe S, Olsen J. A framework for evaluation of secondary data sources for epidemiological research. Int J Epidemiol. 1996;25(2):435–442
  12. Danish National Board of Health , The Cancer Registry . New figures from The National Board of Health [Cancerregisteret 1997. Nye tal fra Sundhedsstyrelsen. Aargang 5. nr. 5 2001]. Available from: http://www. sst dk/nyheder/tidsskrifter/nyetal/pdf/nyetal5_5 pdf 20021997;
  13. Storm HH, Michelsen EV, Clemmensen IH, Pihl J. The Danish Cancer Registry—history, content, quality and use. Dan Med Bull. 1997;44(5):535–539
  14. Gaist D, Sorensen HT, Hallas J. The Danish prescription registries. Dan Med Bull. 1997;44(4):445–448
  15. Jarlbaek L, Andersen M, Kragstrup J, Hallas J. Cancer patients' share in a population's use of opioids. A linkage study between a prescription database and the Danish Cancer Registry. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2004;27(1):36–43
  16. Jarlbaek L, Andersen M, Hallas J, Engholm G, Kragstrup J. Use of opioids in a Danish population-based cohort of cancer patients. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2005;29(4):336–343
  17. Hallas J. Conducting pharmacoepidemiologic research in Denmark. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2001;10(7):619–623
  18. World Health Organization , Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology . In: Guidelines for ATC classification and DDD assignment 2002. 5th edn.. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2002;
  19. Mercadante S, Casuccio A, Fulfaro F. The course of symptom frequency and intensity in advanced cancer patients followed at home. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2000;20(2):104–112
  20. Schuit KW, Sleijfer DT, Meijler WJ, et al. Symptoms and functional status of patients with disseminated cancer visiting outpatient departments. J Pain Symptom Manage. 1998;16(5):290–297
  21. van den Beuken-van Everdingen MH, de Rijke JM, Kessels AG, Schouten HC, van KM, Patijn J. High prevalence of pain in patients with cancer in a large population-based study in The Netherlands. Pain. 2007;132(3):312–320
  22. Sykes N, Thorns A. The use of opioids and sedatives at the end of life. Lancet Oncol. 2003;4(5):312–318
  23. Larue F, Colleau SM, Brasseur L, Cleeland CS. Multicentre study of cancer pain and its treatment in France. Br Med J. 1995;310(6986):1034–1037
  24. Niscola P, Cartoni C, Romani C, et al. Epidemiology, features and outcome of pain in patients with advanced hematological malignancies followed in a home care program: an Italian survey. Ann Hematol. 2007;86(9):671–676
  25. Torvik K, Holen J, Kaasa S, et al. Pain in elderly hospitalized cancer patients with bone metastases in Norway. Int J Palliat Nurs. 2008;14(5):238–245
  26. Rose JH, O'Toole EE, Einstadter D, Love TE, Shenko CA, Dawson NV. Patient age, well-being, perspectives, and care practices in the early treatment phase for late-stage cancer. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2008;63(9):960–968
  27. Pergolizzi J, Boger RH, Budd K, et al. Opioids and the management of chronic severe pain in the elderly: consensus statement of an international expert panel with focus on the six clinically most often used World Health Organization Step III opioids (buprenorphine, fentanyl, hydromorphone, methadone, morphine, oxycodone). Pain Pract. 2008;8(4):287–313
  28. Delgado-Guay MO, Bruera E. Management of pain in the older person with cancer. Oncology (Williston Park). 2008;22(1):56–61
  29. Sjogren P, Banning AM, Jensen NH, Jensen M, Klee M, Vainio A. Management of cancer pain in Denmark: a nationwide questionnaire survey. Pain. 1996;64(3):519–525
  30. Froelund F, Jensen N-H. The use of opioids in Denmark [Opioidforbruget i Danmark]. Maanedsskr Prakt Laegegern. 1995;73:1529–1533
  31. Vainio A. Use of morphine and other opioids in the Nordic countries. Acta Oncol. 1998;37(7–8):743–748
  32. INCB . Narcotic drugs, table IX, X, XI. Available from: http://www.incb.org/e/ind_tr.htm
  33. Danish Medicines Agency [Lægemiddelstyrelsen] . The use of opioids in the primary care sector. Denmark 1999–2003 ([Forbruget af stærke smertestillende lægemidler (opioider) i den primære sektor. Danmark 1999–2003]), Available from: http://www.laegemiddelstyrelsen.dk/publikationer/netpub/forbrugsanalyser/opioid/
  34. Jarlbaek L, Hallas J, Kragstrup J, Andersen M. Cancer patients' first treatment episode with opioids: a pharmaco-epidemiological perspective. Support Care Cancer. 2006;14(4):340–347
  35. Schneeweiss S, Avorn J. A review of uses of health care utilization databases for epidemiologic research on therapeutics. J Clin Epidemiol. 2005;58(4):323–337
  36. Cousins MJ, Brennan F, Carr DB. Pain relief: a universal human right. Pain. 2004;112(1–2):1–4
  37. Joranson DE. Improving availability of opioid pain medications: testing the principle of balance in latin America. J Palliat Med. 2004;7(1):105–114

PII: S0936-6555(09)00408-7

doi: 10.1016/j.clon.2009.12.002

Clinical Oncology
Volume 22, Issue 3 , Pages 199-207 , April 2010

Article Tools

* Image Usage & Resolution