Retrospective analysis of opioid prescriptions in cancer patients in a northern Italian region.

We evaluated patterns of use of opioids in palliative care across one region in Italy by cross-referencing a cancer registry with unique patient identifiers, with prescription databases. There were 90 803 patients in the registry, of whom 39 597 died during the study period. Only 8539 (21%) of these were prescribed opioids at the time of their death. Prescribed daily doses of oral morphine used (45 mg) and of buprenorphine (0.71 mg) were low compared with injected morphine (28.6 mg, equivalent to approximately 90 mg of oral morphine) and especially with doses of transdermal fentanyl (1.13 mg, equivalent to approximately 180 mg morphine). The reasons for this acceptance of transdermal fentanyl and reluctance to use oral morphine are unclear, but it seems that more effort in educating healthcare professionals and patients about the use of morphine would be useful. The use of more detailed prescribing data such as prescribed or received daily doses can add to our understanding of headline prescribing data.