Methadone in Swedish specialized palliative care-Is it the magic bullet in complex cancer-related pain?

ABSTRACT: CONTEXT:Despite being associated with dependence and social stigma, methadone is a potential end-of-life option in complex cancer pain. OBJECTIVES:To explore attitudes and opinions about methadone and its potential role and current use in complex end-of-life pain. METHODS:Semi-structured interviews (n = 30) with physicians in specialized palliative care, transcribed and analyzed with conventional qualitative content analysis. RESULTS:According to the physicians, patients and relatives expressed unexpectedly few negative attitudes, not affecting methadone's use as an analgesic. Complex pain in bone-metastatic cancer of the prostate, breast and kidney, as well as pancreatic cancer and sarcomas were recurrent suggestions of appropriate indications. Most of the informants stated that they appl

SUBMITTER: Furst P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7147740 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature