Opioid Titration With 12.5 ug/h Fentanyl Transdermal Patch vs Orally Morphine for Opioid-naïve Patients With Moderate Cancer Pain

Opioid is recommended for moderate cancer pain in WHO 3-step analgesic ladder. Transdermal administration of the strong opioid fentanyl was originally developed for patients unable to swallow analgesics because of malignancies in the head and neck region or the gastrointestinal tract, painful lesions in the mouth, or periods of nausea, vomiting, or bowel obstruction. The EMA recognizes that in exceptional clinical circumstances, the 12 μg/h fentanyl patch could be considered. To our knowledge, there is not a phase III trial to explore the efficacy and safety of 12 μg/h fentanyl patch in opioid-naive patients with moderate cancer pain.