new nasal spray formulation of drug for cancer breakthrough pain

[Lani]

Fentanyl Pectin Nasal Spray Offers Fast Relief of Breakthrough Cancer Pain: Presented at APS
[Doctor's Guide]
SAN DIEGO — May 12, 2009 — The use of fentanyl pectin nasal spray rapidly and effectively combats episodes of breakthrough cancer pain among patients who are tolerant of opioid medications, researchers reported here at the 28th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Pain Society (APS).
"Treatment of breakthrough cancer pain represents an unmet need in therapy for patients with advanced cancer who sometimes experience periods of intense, debilitating pain that can not be predicted," said Allen Burton, MD, Department of Pain Medicine, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
Dr. Burton and colleagues tested the use of fentanyl pectin nasal spray among patients who were recruited for a randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study conducted in the United States, Argentina, and Costa Rica.
The study analysed use of the treatment in 659 breakthrough cancer pain episodes, 459 of which were treated with the fentanyl nasal spray and 200 of which were treated with a placebo spray.
After a 10-day screening period 83 patients entered the 2-week titration period, and 76 patients completed the 2-month study.
"In some cases, the patients experiencing breakthrough pain were able to get relief within 5 minutes using this nasal spray," Dr. Burton said at his poster presentation on May 8.
He said that breakthrough pain typically can last up to about an hour, and standard rescue mediations can take most of that time to become effective. Breakthrough cancer pain often occurs even though patients are already taking opioid medication for chronic pain caused, most often, by cancer that has metastasised to bone