• Sun Kyung Baek, Hye Won Shin, Young Jin Choi, Dae Young Zang, Do-Yeun Cho, Hun Mo Ryoo, Jin Ho Baek, Sam Yong Kim, and Hong-Suk Song.
• Department of Hematology Oncology, Kyung Hee University Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea.
• Pain Med. 2013 Dec 1;14(12):1866-72.

PurposeEfficacy, safety, and quality of life (QoL) for patients receiving larger doses of controlled-release oxycodone (CR oxycodone) in outpatient clinics are evaluated.MethodsThe use of high-dose CR oxycodone and adjuvant drugs for pain management, pain intensity, parameters associated with quality of life, and adverse effects in cancer patients treated with high-dose CR oxycodone (≥80 mg/day) was prospectively observed for 8 weeks. Data from 486 cancer patients receiving high-dose CR oxycodone were collected from 44 hospitals during the period from February 2009 to March 2010.ResultsThree hundred eighteen of the total 486 patients treated with high-dose CR oxycodone were followed up for 8 weeks. Pain intensity significantly improved from a mean numeric rating scale (NRS) 5.49 to NRS 4.33 (P < 0.0001). Dosage of CR oxycodone increased from a mean of 130.0 to a mean of 174.9 (P < 0.0001). QoL including activity, walking, and sleeping significantly improved after 8 weeks. At baseline, 138 complained of adverse effects, of which constipation (30.2%) was the most common followed by dry mouth (8.8%) and dizziness (8.2%). After 8 weeks, 128 patients complained of adverse effects such as constipation (27.0%), nausea (5.7%), dry mouth (5.7%), and dizziness (5.0%). After 8 weeks of high-dose CR oxycodone, adverse effects did not increase.ConclusionThis study suggests that over an 8-week period, the use of high-dose CR oxycodone for cancer pain management is efficient, safe, and tolerable in outpatient clinics.Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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