Pharmacological treatment of patients with cancer pain

Abstract

The World Health Organisation defines palliative care as the active total care of patients whose disease is not responsive to curative treatment. Control of pain, of other symptoms, and of psychological, social and spiritual problems, is paramount. The goal of palliative care is achievement of the best quality of life for patients and their families. Palliative care is necessarily multidisciplinary. New strategies such as the switching opioids and/or their route of administration may offer improved analgesia with fewer adverse effects, thus providing therapeutic alternatives for the clinical community. © 2006 Corporación Editora Médica del Valle.