Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as the first step in cancer pain therapy: double-blind, within-patient study comparing nine drugs.
The efficacy and tolerability of acetylsalicylic acid, paracetamol, diclofenac, ibuprofen, indomethacin, pirprofen, sulindac, naproxen and suprofen were compared in the treatment of cancer pain. In a double-blind, within-patient randomized study, each drug was given for 1 week to eight patients and for another week to a further eight patients. A total of 65 patients were effectively treated; only 48 completed week 1 and 41 completed week 2. Naproxen, diclofenac and indomethacin were highly effective in pain relief (tested by means of a 100 mm visual analogue scale) and were relatively well tolerated. It is concluded that these non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be considered as first choice in the treatment of cancer pain.
Pain Therapy and Palliative Care Service, National Cancer Institute, Milan, Italy.
V
V
Ventafridda
F
F
De Conno
A E
AE
Panerai
V
V
Maresca
G C
GC
Monza
C
C
Ripamonti
D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004008:Diclofenac / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007052:Ibuprofen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009288:Naproxen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D010666:Phenylpropionates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013467:Sulindac / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013496:Suprofen / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D010666:Phenylpropionates; D004008:Diclofenac; D013467:Sulindac; D000082:Acetaminophen; D009288:Naproxen; D013496:Suprofen; D001241:Aspirin; C008924:pirprofen; D007052:Ibuprofen; D007213:Indomethacin