High-dose oral morphine in cancer pain management: a report of twelve cases.

We present 12 case reports from patients treated with more than 600 mg of morphine per day. We found no "opioid-nonresponsive pain" under treatment with a combination of morphine and nonopioids, supplemented with coanalgesics where appropriate. Side effects of morphine therapy were controlled with adjuvant drugs. Serious adverse effects were not observed. Episodes of break-through pain, dysphagia, and dyspnea caused by far advanced cancer disease were seen frequently.