Palliative care: Inclusion of pregabalin in the pain management of terminal cancer patients in a national level cancer treatment institute of Nepal

Abstract

In palliative care, prevention approaches and pain management are used to help terminally ill patients and their family members cope with their sufferings. In terminally ill cancer patients, pain management is considered to be the most important. Cancer patients with neuropathic pain may be effectively treated with adjuvants such as pregabalin.A retrospective study performed in the palliative care unit of BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital, Nepal emphasizes upon the various patients with different types and stages of cancer with majority having pain as the common and profound symptom, and the inclusion of various drugs including pregabalin in pain management.While opioids have remained the mainstay of pain management of oncotic patients, a number of patients with neuropathic pain found significant relief form pain after pregabalin was included in the treatment package.