The EPCRC Opioid Guidelines Group have produced revised recommendations on the use of opioid analgesics for cancer pain. The work has been led by the EPCRC Work Package 3.1 team coordinated by Professor Augusto Caraceni at the Unit of Palliative Care, Pain Therapy and Rehabilitation of the Fondazione IRCCS, Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori in Milan, Italy. However, co-workers across Europe have contributed to the evidence base by conducting the systematic reviews on which the new recommendations are based. The recommendations have been endorsed by the Board of Directors of the EAPC.
The final guideline is published in
Lancet Oncology 2012; 13:e58-68: Caraceni A, Hanks G, Kaasa S et al. Use of opioid analgesics in the treatment of cancer pain: evidence-based recommendations from the EAPC. Accessible to those who have access to the Lancet Oncology at:
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/
The supporting evidence for the updated opioid guidelines consists of 17 systematic reviews that were published in a special issue of Palliative Medicine in July 2011.The pdf files of all the review articles of the July special issue of Palliative Medicine as well as the word processed post-print (ie final draft post-refereeing) of the version of the recommendations may be downloaded here under.
You need to login to view and download the pdfs of the papers. If you are already registered please login.
If you are not yet registered, Please click here to register as a web user. Online registration is for free!