Gabapentin mitigates neuropathic pain in cancer patients--a case report
Okada, M.; Shinjo, T.
Gan to Kagaku Ryoho. Cancer and ChemoTherapy 34(8): 1331-1333
2007
ISSN/ISBN: 0385-0684 PMID: 17687226 Document Number: 605437
A 64-year-old male underwent low anterior resection of the rectum for rectal cancer. Five years later, he suffered neuropathic cancer pain on the left-posterior surface of his thigh caused by sacral invasion of the recurrence site. His neuropathic pain was not sufficiently responsive to the combination therapy of opioids, non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), continuous infusion of subcutaneous ketamine and oral mexiletine. Gabapentin, which has been suggested as an adjuvant analgesic for neuropathic pain introduced orally, rapidly and significantly alleviated his pain and we could subsequently dispense with ketamine and mexiletine. No adverse effect was seen during this treatment. The present case indicates that gabapentin would be one of the most effective adjuvant analgesics for neuropathic cancer pain.