Analgesia in multiple myeloma patient - case report

Analgesic therapy is an integral part of cancer pain treatment. It is intended to provide relief to patients suffering and to keep them and their families from destructive effects of pain on their lives. Pain can appear at each stage of a malignant disease; on average pain is observed in 50% of all oncologic patients, and in 75% of subjects with an advanced malignant disease. Standard cancer pain treatment is a pharmacotherapy based on the WHO analgesic ladder. Approximately 90% of patients suffering cancer pain can receive effective pharmacological pain management. Oxycodone belongs to the group of strong opioids listed in the third step of WHO analgesic ladder. European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC) recommends oxycodone along with morphine and hydromorhone (unavailable in Poland) as a first-line treatment of moderate to severe cancer pain. We present a case report of patient with multiple myemoma treated successfully with oxycodone.