Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Dec 2016
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative StudyComparison of the tolerability profile of controlled release oral morphine and oxycodone for cancer pain treatment. An open label randomized controlled trial.
Oxycodone and morphine are recommended as first-choice opioids for moderate/severe cancer pain, but evidence about their relative tolerability has significant methodological limitations. ⋯ This trial failed to show any difference in tolerability and analgesic efficacy of morphine and oxycodone as first-line treatment for moderate/severe cancer pain but results interpretation is difficult due to lack of power, potential bias from open-label design, and concerns about assay sensitivity. These data, however, can significantly contribute to future meta-analyses comparing WHO Step-III opioids and are relevant in designing future randomized studies.