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, /PRNewswire/ --
- Choosing a More Appropriate Route of Administration for Fast ActingPain Relief Could be the key to Improvement
The first results of the first European survey of cancer patients'experience of breakthrough pain[1] were presented today at the 6th congressof the European Federation of Chapters of the International Association forthe Study of Pain (EFIC).
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(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090909/358726 )
Previous surveys have looked at the overall management of pain in cancerpatients but this is the first international study to look in detail atBreakthrough Cancer Pain (BTCP) from a patient perspective. These results forthe first 200 patients from the UK, Sweden and Denmark offer valuable insightinto cancer patients' experiences with breakthrough pain management and theimpact of the condition on their daily lives.
"The study documents that breakthrough pain has a significant impact oncancer patients' daily lives," explained Dr. Andrew Davies, Department ofPalliative Medicine, Royal Marsden Hospital, UK and the principalinvestigator of this survey. "Breakthrough pain is very different tobackground pain. Background pain is a continuous, chronic pain requiringaround-the-clock medication. Breakthrough pain is a fast onset, shortduration, intense pain that breaks through the chronic pain even when this isbeing controlled with medication. It is incapacitating and very distressingto the patient."
For this kind of pain episode the ideal treatment would be fast actingwith a short duration of action to most closely match the nature of BTCPepisodes. Moreover, it must be easy to use to improve patient compliance.However, the results of the survey show that:
"Oral opioids are still commonly used to manage BTCP despite the factthat the way these drugs work does not match the characteristics of a BTCPepisode. Opioids given by other routes, for example intranasal, havesignificant advantages over oral opioids and the interim results from thissurvey suggest that these routes would be suitable for and welcomed by themajority of cancer patients with breakthrough pain," said Dr. Andrew Davies.
The European Survey of Breakthrough Cancer Pain is continuing to recruitpatients in Germany and Ireland and will expand into Austria, Belgium, CzechRepublic, Finland, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spainand Switzerland to provide health care professionals across Europe withpatient insights on the management of breakthrough cancer pain.
About Nycomed
Nycomed is a privately owned global pharmaceutical company with adifferentiated portfolio focused on branded medicines in gastroenterology,respiratory and inflammatory diseases, pain, osteoporosis and tissuemanagement. An extensive range of OTC products completes the portfolio. ItsR&D is built to be open for partnerships as in-licensing is a cornerstone inthe company's growth strategy.
Nycomed employs 12,000 associates worldwide, and its products areavailable in more than 100 countries. It has strong platforms in Europe andin fast-growing markets such as Russia/CIS, and Latin America. While the USand Japan are commercialised through best-in-class partners, Nycomed willfurther strengthen its position in key Asian markets.
Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, the company generated in 2008 totalsales of EUR 3.4 billion and an adjusted EBITDA of EUR 1.2 billion.
For more information please visit http://www.nycomed.com
References
1. Davies A et al. European survey of oncology patient's experience ofbreakthrough cancer pain: UK, SE and DK results. Poster presented at EFIC2009.
For further information:
Media: Ulf Jonson, Senior International Brand Manager, Nycomed:+45-46-77-10-78
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First Results From Major European Patient Survey Show Devastating Impact of Living With Breakthrough Cancer Pain
LISBON, Portugal, September 9 /PRNewswire/ --
- Choosing a More Appropriate Route of Administration for Fast ActingPain Relief Could be the key to Improvement
The first results of the first European survey of cancer patients'experience of breakthrough pain[1] were presented today at the 6th congressof the European Federation of Chapters of the International Association forthe Study of Pain (EFIC).
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090909/358726 )
Previous surveys have looked at the overall management of pain in cancerpatients but this is the first international study to look in detail atBreakthrough Cancer Pain (BTCP) from a patient perspective. These results forthe first 200 patients from the UK, Sweden and Denmark offer valuable insightinto cancer patients' experiences with breakthrough pain management and theimpact of the condition on their daily lives.
"The study documents that breakthrough pain has a significant impact oncancer patients' daily lives," explained Dr. Andrew Davies, Department ofPalliative Medicine, Royal Marsden Hospital, UK and the principalinvestigator of this survey. "Breakthrough pain is very different tobackground pain. Background pain is a continuous, chronic pain requiringaround-the-clock medication. Breakthrough pain is a fast onset, shortduration, intense pain that breaks through the chronic pain even when this isbeing controlled with medication. It is incapacitating and very distressingto the patient."
For this kind of pain episode the ideal treatment would be fast actingwith short duration of action to most closely match the nature of BTCPepisodes. Moreover, it must be easy to use to improve patient compliance.However, the results of the survey show that:
"Oral opioids are still commonly used to manage BTCP despite the factthat the way these drugs work does not match the characteristics of a BTCPepisode. Opioids given by other routes, for example intranasal, havesignificant advantages over oral opioids and the interim results from thissurvey suggest that these routes would be suitable for and welcomed by themajority of cancer patients with breakthrough pain," said Dr. Andrew Davies.
The European Survey of Breakthrough Cancer Pain is continuing to recruitpatients in Germany and Ireland and will expand into Austria, Belgium, CzechRepublic, Finland, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spainand Switzerland to provide health care professionals across Europe withpatient insights on the management of breakthrough cancer pain.
About Nycomed
Nycomed is a privately owned global pharmaceutical company with adifferentiated portfolio focused on branded medicines in gastroenterology,respiratory and inflammatory diseases, pain, osteoporosis and tissuemanagement. An extensive range of OTC products completes the portfolio. ItsR&D is built to be open for partnerships as in-licensing is a cornerstone inthe company's growth strategy.
Nycomed employs 12,000 associates worldwide, and its products areavailable in more than 100 countries. It has strong platforms in Europe andin fast-growing markets such as Russia/CIS, and Latin America. While the USand Japan are commercialised through best-in-class partners, Nycomed willfurther strengthen its position in key Asian markets.
Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, the company generated in 2008 totalsales of EUR 3.4 billion and an adjusted EBITDA of EUR 1.2 billion.
For more information please visit http://www.nycomed.com
References
1. Davies A et al. European survey of oncology patient's experience ofbreakthrough cancer pain: UK, SE and DK results. Poster presented at EFIC2009.
For further information:
Media: Ulf Jonson, Senior International Brand Manager, Nycomed:+45-46-77-10-78- The median number of BTCP episodes per patient per day was 3 - Each episode had a median duration of 60 minutes - 96% of the pain episodes were described as moderate to severe - For 90% of patients their BTCP interfered with their daily living including their ability to sleep, walk and get on with other people
SOURCE Nycomed
