The symptoms associated in advanced cancer patients and adverse events due to use of opioids
have major influence on the state of health and quality of life of patients. The pain, in
particular, is a symptom with severe negative impact and with a prevalence ranging between
33% and 64%, according to the stage of the disease, with values around 70-90% in advanced
stages and metastatic.
The use of opioids, however, is usually associated with the appearance of common adverse
events as drowsiness/sedation, constipation, nausea/vomiting, and dizziness. Some effects are
self-limiting in the time for the appearance of tolerance while others, as constipation
persist.
Several clinical studies have demonstrated that the association oxycodone-naloxone (OXN),
which consists in the union between a molecule agonist and an antagonist of opioid receptors,
reduced the constipation in the presence of unchanged analgesic efficacy compared to
oxycodone alone.
Details
Lead Sponsor:
Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research