Switching From Morphine to Oral Methadone Plus Acetaminophen in the Treatment of Cancer Pain

Switching From Morphine to Oral Methadone Plus Acetaminophen in the Treatment of Cancer Pain: A Randomized, Double-Blind Study

The purpose of this study is to determine whether oral methadone plus acetaminophen can substitute morphine in the treatment of cancer pain.

Opioids are the mainstay of moderate-to-severe cancer pain management. Although morphine is the most commonly used, methadone has some advantages such as higher potency, lower cost and longer administration intervals. To minimize the time necessary to achieve the equianalgesic effect after a switching from morphine to methadone, acetaminophen was added in the treatment.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Clinical diagnosis of cancer pain
• Regular use of oral Morphine

Exclusion Criteria:

• Use of Acetaminophen in the last 48 hours
• Renal or Hepatic failure