title: [Observational study of the initial prescription of level 3 analgesics in cancer patients.].
abstract: To evaluate pain management in cancer patients, a study was conducted examining the treatment circumstances and modalities of initial prescription level 3 analgesics used by 122 French cancer specialists. The rationale for moving to level 3, the implementation and the follow-up were evaluated in 1,038 patients. The reasons underlying the initial prescription were in line with recommendations for clinical practice (WHO, SOR) and the professionals generally preferred molecules with which they were already familiar. Though pain intensity was reduced in 67% of patients, treatment follow-up could have been improved in a number of cases. In particular, titration was not systematically performed, and the interruption of the prescribed treatment (owing to inefficacy or negative side-effects) was not sufficiently timely. The awareness-raising campaigns performed over the past few years should be continued, underlining the importance of early follow-up, notably during the titration phase of level 3 analgesic initiation.
authors.affiliation: Centre Alexis-Vautrin, avenue de Bourgogne, RN 74 Brabois, 54511 Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy cedex, France, Institut Curie, 26, rue d'Ulm, 75248 Paris cedex 05, France, Réseau Oncolor, 6, avenue de Bourgogne, 54511 Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy, France, Mundipharma, 2, rue Docteur-Lombard, 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux, France.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Krakowski
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Delorme
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vuillemin
authors.forename: J-L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Verrière
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Causse
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy; D059408:Pain Management
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid