THE IMPACT OF PAIN ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF CANCER PATIENTS ON OPIOIDS IN A BRAZILIAN POPULATION

Background: The use of opioids remains the primary therapy for cancer-related pain. However, ample evidence persists showing that this treatment is still inadequate. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of opioid use on analgesia and quality of life of patients with solid tumors. Methods: A cross-sectional, analytical study was carried out during one year in a Brazilian Public Cancer Center. Pain, depression, and quality of life were evaluated through validated instruments that included the Pain Management Index, Quality-of-life questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory, Douleur Neuropathique, Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form. Results: A hundred patients with advanced solid tumors were enrolled. 82% of them reported daily pain with 58% with severe pain. 57% were using morphine with a mean dose of 49 morphine milligram equivalent. Pain management index was negative in 34% of the patients. Neuropathic pain was found in 72%, and depression was severe in 90% of the patients. Conclusions: No correlation between pain, depression, and quality of life was identified, despite the substantial negative impact of pain on Quality-of-life. This gap can be explained due to the persistence of high rates of undertreatment, depression and neuropathic pain associated with the use of low doses of opioids and adjuvant drugs.

 

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Publikationsverlauf

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
23. Oktober 2019