Published in:
01-03-2005 | Short Communication
Oral administration of vinorelbine can overcome intractable endovenous-vinorelbine-associated acute tumor pain
Authors:
T. De Pas, A. Sbanotto, C. Catania, M.G. Banfi, G. Curigliano, F. Nolè, N. Fazio, V. Formica, G. Veronesi, F. de Braud
Published in:
Supportive Care in Cancer
|
Issue 3/2005
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Excerpt
Vinorelbine (VNR, 5’-nor-anhydro-vinblastin)-associated acute tumor pain is a well-recognized complication of VNR administration in cancer patients. Although often responsive to NSAIDs and opioids, it can cause treatment discontinuation when intractable [
1,
2,
3,
4]. Although the pathogenesis of this complication is unknown, the onset immediately after or during VNR administration suggests a relation between the symptoms and the peak of VNR blood concentration. Oral administration of VNR obtains a six-times-lower peak of blood concentration than intravenous administration, with a Cmax reached 1.5–3 h after drug intake [
5]. According to this pharmacokinetic profile, we hypothesized that an oral administration of VNR could overcome VNR-associated pain symptoms. A shift from intravenous to oral VNR was done in two patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who experienced VNR-related acute tumor pain despite prophylaxis with NSAIDs and opioids. …