Relationship between onset of pain relief and patient satisfaction with fentanyl pectin nasal spray for breakthrough pain in cancer

Health-Related Quality of Life in Transplant-Ineligible Patients With Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma: Findings From the Phase III MAIA Trial

PURPOSE

To evaluate the effects of daratumumab, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (D-Rd) versus lenalidomide and dexamethasone (Rd) on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in the phase III MAIA study.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

PROs were assessed on the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30-item and the EuroQol 5-dimensional descriptive system at baseline and every 3 months during treatment. By mixed-effects model, changes from baseline are presented as least squares means with 95% CIs.

RESULTS

A total of 737 transplant-ineligible (TIE) patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma were randomly assigned to D-Rd (n = 368) or Rd (n = 369). Compliance with PRO assessments was high at baseline (> 90%) through month 12 (> 78%) for both groups. European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30-item global health status scores improved from baseline in both groups and were consistently greater with D-Rd at all time points. A global health status benefit was achieved with D-Rd, regardless of age (< 75 and ≥ 75 years), baseline Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status score, or depth of response. D-Rd treatment resulted in significantly greater reduction in pain scores as early as cycle 3 (P = .0007 v Rd); the magnitude of change was sustained through cycle 12. Reductions in pain with D-Rd were clinically meaningful in patients regardless of age, ECOG status, or depth of response. Similarly, PRO improvements were observed with D-Rd and Rd on the EuroQol 5-dimensional descriptive system visual analog scale score.

CONCLUSION

D-Rd compared with Rd was associated with faster and sustained clinically meaningful improvements in PROs, including pain, in transplant-ineligible patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma regardless of age, baseline ECOG status, or depth of treatment response.

Patient-Reported Factors in Treatment Satisfaction in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma (RRMM)

This article identifies factors associated with patient‐reported satisfaction with multiple myeloma therapy and the treatment‐related time burden and indirect costs among patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma and their caregivers. Improved understanding of these variables will inform treatment decisions across this complex treatment landscape.

Background.

Therapy choices in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) should consider patient satisfaction with treatment, because it is associated with adherence to therapy, health outcomes, and medical safety. The primary objective of this pilot cross‐sectional observational study was to ascertain factors associated with patient‐reported treatment satisfaction in RRMM.

Patients and Methods.

Patients with a self‐reported diagnosis of RRMM recruited from PatientsLikeMe, MyelomaCrowd, and Facebook were administered an electronic survey that included questions on demographics and clinical history, treatment experience, economic burden, and standardized patient‐reported outcome measures, including the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) measure, and Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire: Specific Health Problem V2.0. Univariable and multivariable analyses were used to identify predictors of patient‐perceived treatment satisfaction.

Results.

One hundred sixty patients with RRMM participated in the study, with a median of two prior relapses and 66.3% reporting the most recent relapse within the last 12 months. ECOG PS ≥2 was associated with lower patient‐reported global satisfaction and perceived effectiveness of current treatment. In addition to shorter time spent receiving therapy, orally administered treatment was the strongest predictor of higher satisfaction with treatment convenience. For patients receiving an injectable drug‐containing regimen versus an all‐oral regimen, respectively, time spent receiving multiple myeloma‐directed therapy was higher (12.6 vs. 4.0 hours per month), and total monthly indirect costs were $1,033 and $241.

Conclusion.

Poor ECOG PS was linked to reduced treatment satisfaction and perceived effectiveness of current therapy, whereas an all‐oral regimen was associated with increased treatment convenience satisfaction.

Implications for Practice.

This study suggests that attributes including better Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, less time spent receiving treatment, and oral route of treatment administration lead to higher patient‐perceived satisfaction with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) treatment. Oral route of administration was also associated with less time spent receiving treatment and reduced economic burden for patients. Increased attention to these factors in shared treatment decision making is warranted to help identify individual patient needs, preferences, and expectations for RRMM treatments, to resolve dissatisfaction issues, and to improve the experience of patients with RRMM.

An integrated review on new targets in the treatment of neuropathic pain

Neuropathic pain is a complex chronic pain state caused by the dysfunction of somatosensory nervous system, and it affects the millions of people worldwide. At present, there are very few medical treatments available for neuropathic pain management and the intolerable side effects of medications may further worsen the symptoms. Despite the presence of profound knowledge that delineates the pathophysiology and mechanisms leading to neuropathic pain, the unmet clinical needs demand more research in this field that would ultimately assist to ameliorate the pain conditions. Efforts are being made globally to explore and understand the basic molecular mechanisms responsible for somatosensory dysfunction in preclinical pain models. The present review highlights some of the novel molecular targets like D-amino acid oxidase, endoplasmic reticulum stress receptors, sigma receptors, hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated cation channels, histone deacetylase, Wnt/β-catenin and Wnt/Ryk, ephrins and Eph receptor tyrosine kinase, Cdh-1 and mitochondrial ATPase that are implicated in the induction of neuropathic pain. Studies conducted on the different animal models and observed results have been summarized with an aim to facilitate the efforts made in the drug discovery. The diligent analysis and exploitation of these targets may help in the identification of some promising therapies that can better manage neuropathic pain and improve the health of patients.

Patient and Physician Satisfaction with Analgesic Treatment: Findings from the Analgesic Treatment for Cancer Pain in Southeast Asia (ACE) Study

Aim

The aim of this study was to examine patients' and physicians' satisfaction, and concordance of patient-physician satisfaction with patients' pain control status.

Methods

This cross-sectional observational study involved 465 adults prescribed analgesics for cancer-related pain from 22 sites across Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Pain intensity, pain control satisfaction, and adequacy of analgesics for pain control were documented using questionnaires.

Results

Most patients (84.4%) had stage III or IV cancer. On a scale of 0 (no pain) to 10 (worse pain), patients' mean worst pain intensity over 24 hours was 4.76 (SD 2.47). More physicians (19.0%) than patients (8.0%) reported dissatisfaction with patient's pain control. Concordance of patient-physician satisfaction was low (weighted kappa 0.36; 95% CI 0.03–0.24). Most physicians (71.2%) found analgesics to be adequate for pain control. Patients' and physicians' satisfaction with pain control and physician-assessed analgesic adequacy were significantly different across countries (P < 0.001 for all).

Conclusions

Despite pain-related problems with sleep and quality of life, patients were generally satisfied with their pain control status. Interestingly, physicians were more likely to be dissatisfied with patients' pain control. Enhanced patient-physician communication, physicians' proactivity in managing opioid-induced adverse effects, and accessibility of analgesics have been identified to be crucial for successful cancer pain management. This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (identifier NCT02664987).

Endogenous Opiates and Behavior: 2015

This paper is the thirty-eighth consecutive installment of the annual review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system. It summarizes papers published during 2015 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides, opioid receptors, opioid agonists and opioid antagonists. The particular topics that continue to be covered include the molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors related to behavior, and the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia, stress and social status, tolerance and dependence, learning and memory, eating and drinking, drug abuse and alcohol, sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology, mental illness and mood, seizures and neurologic disorders, electrical-related activity and neurophysiology, general activity and locomotion, gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions, cardiovascular responses, respiration and thermoregulation, and immunological responses.

Sublingual Fentanyl Tablets for Relief of Breakthrough Pain in Cancer Patients and Association with Quality-of-Life Outcomes

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Breakthrough pain (BTP) is highly prevalent in patients with cancer and is strongly associated with adverse outcomes related to health status, mood, anxiety and depression. However, studies on the effect of BTP medication on quality of life (QOL) are lacking. The purpose of this study was to provide a qualitative evaluation of the effect of sublingual fentanyl tablets (SFT), a therapy specifically developed for BTP, on the QOL of cancer pain patients.

METHODS

We conducted a multicentre, prospective observation post-authorisation, open-label study between March and December 2013. The study consisted of a screening visit and four assessment points at 3, 7, 15 and 30 days. Pain intensity (PI), frequency of BTP, onset of pain relief and adverse events (AEs) were assessed at each visit. Anxiety and depression were evaluated using the validated Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and health status using the Short Form 12, version 2 (SF-12v2) Health Survey.

RESULTS

Of the 102 patients considered eligible, 81 (79.4 %) were enrolled; of these, 69 (85.1 %) completed the study. Significant pain reduction was achieved for average PI (p < 0.001) compared with baseline. At the end of the observational period, HADS scores showed significant improvement in the depression subscale (p = 0.005) and the anxiety subscale (p < 0.001). Similarly, SF-12 scores showed significant improvement, both in the mental component score (p < 0.001) and the physical component score (p = 0.002). SFT was well-tolerated and only one patient withdrew from the study due to drug-related AEs.

CONCLUSION

SFT represents an effective, well-tolerated treatment for cancer BTP. Results provide consistent evidence for the positive impact of SFT on health-related QOL and physical functioning as well as other co-morbidities of cancer BTP such as anxiety and depression.