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Morphine and alternative opioids in cancer pain: the EAPC recommendations
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  • Published: 27 February 2001

Morphine and alternative opioids in cancer pain: the EAPC recommendations

Expert Working Group of the Research Network of the European Association for Palliative Care

  • G W Hanks1 na1,
  • F de Conno2 na1,
  • N Cherny3 na1,
  • M Hanna4,
  • E Kalso5,
  • H J McQuay6,
  • S Mercadante7 na1,
  • J Meynadier8,
  • P Poulain9 na1,
  • C Ripamonti2 na1,
  • L Radbruch10 na1,
  • J Roca i Casas11,
  • J Sawe12,
  • R G Twycross13 &
  • …
  • V Ventafridda14 

British Journal of Cancer volume 84, pages 587–593 (2001)Cite this article

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Abstract

An expert working group of the European Association for Palliative Care has revised and updated its guidelines on the use of morphine in the management of cancer pain. The revised recommendations presented here give guidance on the use of morphine and the alternative strong opioid analgesics which have been introduced in many parts of the world in recent years. Practical strategies for dealing with difficult situations are described presenting a consensus view where supporting evidence is lacking. The strength of the evidence on which each recommendation is based is indicated. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign

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Change history

  • 16 November 2011

    This paper was modified 12 months after initial publication to switch to Creative Commons licence terms, as noted at publication

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Author information

Author notes
  1. F De Conno (chair), A Caraceni, N Cherny, J Ferraz Goncalves, CJ Fürst, GW Hanks, S Kaasa, S Mercadante, JM Nunez Olarte, P Poulain, L Radbruch, C Ripamonti, F Stiefel.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Palliative Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre, UK

    G W Hanks

  2. Division of Rehabilitation, Pain Therapy and Palliative Care, Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy

    F de Conno & C Ripamonti

  3. Cancer Pain and Palliative Medicine Service, Shaare Zedek Medical Centre, Jerusalem, Israel

    N Cherny

  4. Pain Relief Research Unit, Kings College School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of London, UK

    M Hanna

  5. Pain Clinic, Helsinki University Hospital, Finland

    E Kalso

  6. University of Oxford, UK

    H J McQuay

  7. Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Unit, Pain Relief and Palliative Care Unit, La Maddalena Cancer Centre and Home Care Programme, Societa per L’Assistenza al Malato Oncologico Terminale, Palermo, Italy

    S Mercadante

  8. Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Treatment, Centre Oscar Lambret, Lille, France

    J Meynadier

  9. Centre de diagnostic et de traitement de la douleur de l’adulte et de l’enfant, Institut Gustave-Roussy, Villejuif, France

    P Poulain

  10. Pain Clinic, Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Universität zu Koln, Germany

    L Radbruch

  11. Hospital and Palliative Care Unit, Hospital de la Santa Creu, Barcelona, Spain

    J Roca i Casas

  12. Huddinge University Hospital, Sweden

    J Sawe

  13. Sir Michael Sobell House, University of Oxford, UK

    R G Twycross

  14. Floriani Foundation, Milano, Italy and the Steering Committee of the Research Network of the EAPC*,

    V Ventafridda

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From twelve months after its original publication, this work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

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Hanks, G., Conno, F., Cherny, N. et al. Morphine and alternative opioids in cancer pain: the EAPC recommendations. Br J Cancer 84, 587–593 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1054/bjoc.2001.1680

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  • Received: 07 December 2000

  • Accepted: 08 January 2001

  • Published: 27 February 2001

  • Issue date: 02 March 2001

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1054/bjoc.2001.1680

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Keywords

  • morphine
  • alternative opioids
  • European guidelines

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