The American Association of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) released a very important new policy statement that details their position surrounding the prescribing of opioids to cancer patients. This issue has taken the forefront of controversy as our society increasingly becomes concerned about the overuse of prescription opioids, sometimes leaving out the very specific needs of cancer [...]
As prostate cancer progresses so does the pain we will suffer. In the normal course we will also progress on to different drugs to help control the pain. Opioids are one of the most common of these drugs prescribed to help control pain. As with all drugs opioids have many side effects. One of the [...]
I really thought we had gotten over this problem, but an article appearing in a recent report in the Journal of Clinical Oncology indicates that the age old problem that often our doctors fail to supply adequate pain medications to advanced cancer survivors because a fear of drug addiction This attitude still hampers good survivorship [...]
Currently as our advanced prostate cancer progresses and we develop bone and soft tissue tumors our pain increases significantly. Current treatment options for the palliation of this pain includes painkillers (including opioids and methadone), radiation and in rare incidents surgery. All of these options have significant limitations. Drugs eventually become less effective, especially for breakout [...]
More on Sipuleucel-T (Provenge) from the 2013 The last two abstracts that I want to speak about that were presented at the conference that pertained to Provenge speak to its efficacy. The first looks at changes in circulating tumor cells (CTC) and the second to the onset of the use of opioid painkillers. Abstract #40 [...]
Considering yesterday's post about the problems with fentanyl patches today's post becomes even more scarey. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has made warns of opioid drug mix-up! According to the FDA pills, tablets, or caplets of Percocet and eight other opioid products packaged by Novartis for Endo Pharmaceuticals may have been mixed up, with [...]
