Reviewing without a Clinical Background Is Detrimental for Cancer Pain Management.

Reviews are a fundamental space for summarizing and spreading knowledge on a particular topic. Methodologic skills may improve the clarity and the meaning of data presentation. A recent editorial choice provided an advanced update on a topic such as cancer pain, providing meaningful and appropriate information on hot topics of cancer pain management. Recent reviews have reported strange and misleading data, suggesting to some adjuvant drugs or opioids for mild-moderate pain instead of opioids on the basis of an incomprehensible analysis performed without any clinical sense. This is a serious problem because such information, published in an authoritative journal, could dis-educate oncologists in their daily practice.