Tramadol in cancer pain treatment

Wojciech Leppert; Jacek Łuczak

Vol 1, No 2 (2002): Polish Palliative Medicine

Leki w medycynie paliatywnej

Published online: 2002-06-04

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Tramadol in cancer pain treatment

Wojciech Leppert, Jacek Łuczak

Advances in Palliative Medicine 2002;1(2):93-106.

Vol 1, No 2 (2002): Polish Palliative Medicine

Leki w medycynie paliatywnej

Published online: 2002-06-04

Abstract

In most cancer patients pain can be successfully treated with pharmacological measures using opioid analgesics alone or in combination with adjuvant analgesics. Usually analgesics of the second step of the WHO analgesic ladder so called weak opioids are administered in the treatment of moderate cancer pain. Apart from codeine tramadol is the main analgesic of this group of drugs. Unique mechanism of action, analgesic efficacy and beneficial profile of adverse reactions inspired performing many experimental and clinical trials with tramadol. The aim of this article is to summarise data on mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetics and clinical trials assessing analgesic efficacy and adverse reactions of tramadol. In this paper special attention will be paid to practical aspects of the use of tramadol in patients with cancer pain.