Multicenter phase II study of an opioid-based pain control program for head and neck cancer patients receiving chemoradiotherapy.

Abstract

The aim of this multi-center phase II study was to clarify the clinical benefit of an opioid-based pain control program for head and neck cancer patients during chemoradiotherapy. Head and neck cancer patients who were to receive definitive or postoperative chemoradiotherapy were enrolled. The opioid-based pain control program consisted of a three-step ladder, with basic regimens of: The primary endpoint of this study was compliance with radiotherapy. A total of 101 patients from 10 institutions were registered between February 2008 and May 2009 and included in the analysis. The major combination chemotherapy regimen was cisplatin alone (76%). The rate of completion of radiotherapy was 99% and the rate of unplanned breaks in radiotherapy was 13% (13/101, 90% confidence interval: 9.9-16.5%). Median maximum quantity of morphine used per day was 35 mg (range 0-150 mg). Use of a systematic pain control program may improve compliance with CRT.