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Pain is a common and debilitating symptom of cancer. Methadone is an opioid drug used to treat cancer pain, and can be given by mouth as liquid, tablet or capsule, via the rectum as a suppository, or injected into the vein, muscle or under the skin. This updated review examines clinical trial evidence published up to September 2006 to determine how ...

Pruritus is the medical name for itching, which can be a problem in palliative care settings where treatments for cancer or severe kidney disease are being given. In this review we looked for high quality clinical trials of drug therapies to prevent or treat itching in palliative care. We found that 30 different drugs had been tested in 40 studies, ...

Nausea and vomiting are common and very unpleasant symptoms that are often experienced by people receiving palliative care. There are several different drug therapies which are available to treat these symptoms. Levomepromazine was originally used to treat schizophrenia but is also used to control nausea and vomiting. It can be given orally or as an ...

Anorexia-cachexia syndrome (ACS) is a common clinical problem characterised by loss of appetite and weight loss. It is common in patients who suffer from advanced cancer, AIDS and some other conditions. At present, there is no cure for ACS. Megestrol acetate (MA) is classified as a female hormone and is taken by mouth. It is currently used to improve ...

Cancer-related pain is an emerging heavy burden on public health. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a minimally invasive and potentially effective tool against chronic pain.This systematic review intended to evaluate the efficacy and effectiveness of SCS for cancer-related pain compared with standard care using conventional analgesic medication. No randomised ...

Cancer patients who do not obtain pain relief from treatment with opioids administered by mouth, rectally or by injection may do so if the drugs are administered in other ways. This review compared three alternative routes: intracerebroventricular (where opioids are injected through a small hole bored into the skull); epidural (where opioids are introduced ...

Hiccups involve repeated, involuntary contractions of the muscles used for breathing. They usually stop of their own accord; rarely, however, they may last for more than 48 hours. When they do persist, hiccups can cause a patient considerable upset, interfere with sleeping and eating, and can lead to other complications. Many different drugs and non-drug ...

Individual studies suggest that the use of neuromuscular electrical stimulation, or NMES, may help improve muscle weakness which occurs as a consequence of a progressive disease. NMES uses a lightweight stimulator unit and skin electrodes to produce a muscle contraction. Being a passive form of exercise, it allows patients to exercise their leg muscles ...

There is limited evidence from clinical trials on the role of drug therapy for the treatment of delirium in terminally ill patients. The key feature of delirium is a decreased level of consciousness (awareness). People may experience impaired memory, thinking and judgement, and become disorientated. They may experience distressing hallucinations or ...

Fatigue, or tiredness, is recognised as a side effect of cancer and its treatment. In the past people with cancer were encouraged to rest if they felt fatigued. It is important that individuals with cancer receive appropriate support and advice to help them cope with any side effects of the treatment or disease. Physical exercise has been suggested ...