Kochhar Romeen, Legrand Susan B, Walsh Declan, Davis Mellar P, Lagman Ruth, Rivera Nilo I
Harry R. Horvitz Center for Palliative Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Oncology (Williston Park). 2003 Apr;17(4):571-5; discussion 575-6, 579.
Many individuals with advanced malignancy continue to suffer from pain and, consequently, impaired quality of life. The clinical scenarios in advanced cancer pain are complex, and successful management may require a more sophisticated and individualized approach than suggested by the World Health Organization guidelines. In patients referred to the Harry R. Horvitz Center for Palliative Medicine in Cleveland, numerous commonly occurring errors in opioid use have been noted. This article describes these errors and offers strategies with which to improve outcomes for patients suffering with cancer pain.
