Opioid switching in cancer patients

Abstract

ABSTRACT Introduction: The substitution of another opioid for a previous one in order to improve the clinical response has largely been reported as opioid switching, aimed to improve the opioid response in different clinical conditions. Areas covered: Existing data from literature have been reviewed to cover the different aspects of opioid switching in cancer patients. Expert commentary: Opioid switching has been reported to produce a clinical improvement in a large number of patients with chronic cancer pain presenting a poor response to one opioid. Despite the favourable effects reported with opioid switching, data are based on open studies, most of them being retrospective or small case series.