Morphine for cancer pain

Abstract

The objectives of the present study were:

I. To assess the effect from start of morphine treatment to cancer pain patients in respect to time needed for dose-finding, dose needed for pain control and adverse symptoms.

II. To assess the effects from start of morphine treatment to cancer pain patients on health related quality of life.

III. To compare the efficacy of start of morphine treatment with sustained vs. immediate release morphine.

IV. To investigate the relationship between serum concentrations of morphine, M6G and M3G and subjective symptoms during start of therapy and after long-term morphine administration.

V. To assess the feasibility of a Norwegian translation of the Brief Pain Inventory questionnaire.