Tabling Hydromorphone: Do We Have It Right?

Adult Cancer Pain, Version 3.2019, NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology

In recent years, the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines) for Adult Cancer Pain have undergone substantial revisions focusing on the appropriate and safe prescription of opioid analgesics, optimization of nonopioid analgesics and adjuvant medications, and integration of nonpharmacologic methods of cancer pain management. This selection highlights some of these changes, covering topics on management of adult cancer pain including pharmacologic interventions, nonpharmacologic interventions, and treatment of specific cancer pain syndromes. The complete version of the NCCN Guidelines for Adult Cancer Pain addresses additional aspects of this topic, including pathophysiologic classification of cancer pain syndromes, comprehensive pain assessment, management of pain crisis, ongoing care for cancer pain, pain in cancer survivors, and specialty consultations.

Versatility of different pharmaceutical formulations of hydromorphone in the management of severe cancer pain and pain in palliative care

SUMMARY The management of severe pain situations requires therapeutic expertise in dealing with changes in pain intensity, analgesic limitations and individual patient needs. Opioids are the treatment of choice in severe pain. The availability of a broad range of opioids and formulations refined the options for improved pain treatment with a specific substance. These may include oral formulations, injectables and other applications suitable for different patient needs. Moreover, variable drug concentrations are most useful in clinical practice. This article briefly reviews the versatility of different hydromorphone formulations in the management of severe pain in palliative care and cancer. Limiting strong opioid treatment with one opioid substance in different formulations (adjuvants if necessary), according to varying requirements of patients, would be eligible for achieving a well-tolerated and effective pain therapy. Its versatility renders hydromorphone suitable for consistent opioid administration with predictable substance release, and may thus contribute to reducing the need for opioid change.