Skip to main content
British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology logoLink to British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology
. 1980;10(Suppl 2):343S–346S. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1980.tb01820.x

Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the treatment of pain in cancer

V Ventafridda, C Fochi, D De Conno, E Sganzerla
PMCID: PMC1430200  PMID: 7002189

Abstract

1 Prostaglandins may precipitate or exacerbate pain and they may be produced by several tumours.

2 Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) inhibit prostaglandin synthesis and may also inhibit bone metastases and enhance immune responses.

3 NSAIDs alone or in association with narcotics or psychotropics may not only afford the best pain relief in neoplastic disease, but also modify the progress of the tumour.

4 The effect of NSAIDs on the gastrointestinal tract is generally adverse.

Full text

PDF
343S

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Beck P. W., Handwerker H. O., Zimmermann M. Nervous outflow from the cat's foot during noxious radiant heat stimulation. Brain Res. 1974 Mar 8;67(3):373–386. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(74)90488-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bennett A., Charlier E. M., McDonald A. M., Simpson J. S., Stamford I. F., Zebro T. Prostaglandins and breast cancer. Lancet. 1977 Sep 24;2(8039):624–626. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(77)92496-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Eccles S. A., Alexander P. Immunologically-mediated restraint of latent tumour metastases. Nature. 1975 Sep 4;257(5521):52–53. doi: 10.1038/257052a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Floyd K., Hick V. E., Koley J., Morrison J. F. The effects of bradykinin on afferent units in intra-abdominal sympathetic nerve trunks. Q J Exp Physiol Cogn Med Sci. 1977 Jan;62(1):19–25. doi: 10.1113/expphysiol.1977.sp002373. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Mann N. S. Drug induced acute erosive gastritis. Its prevention by antacid, metiamide and cimetidine. Am J Proctol. 1977 Apr;28(2):23–28. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Martino G., Emanueli A., Mandelli V., Ventafridda V. A controlled study of the analgetic effect of two non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in cancer pain. Arzneimittelforschung. 1978;28(9):1657–1659. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Mense S. Nervous outflow from skeletal muscle following chemical noxious stimulation. J Physiol. 1977 May;267(1):75–88. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1977.sp011802. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Moertel C. G., Ahmann D. L., Taylor W. F., Schwartau N. Aspirin and pancreatic cancer pain. Gastroenterology. 1971 Apr;60(4):552–553. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Powles T. J., Alexander P., Millar J. L. Enhancement of anti-cancer activity of cytotoxic chemotherapy with protection of normal tissues by inhibition of P.G. synthesis. Biochem Pharmacol. 1978 May 1;27(9):1389–1392. doi: 10.1016/0006-2952(78)90127-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Seyberth H. W., Segre G. V., Morgan J. L., Sweetman B. J., Potts J. T., Jr, Oates J. A. Prostaglandins as mediators of hypercalcemia associated with certain types of cancer. N Engl J Med. 1975 Dec 18;293(25):1278–1283. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197512182932502. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Strausser H. R., Humes J. L. Prostaglandin synthesis inhibition: effect on bone changes and sarcoma tumor induction in balb/c mice. Int J Cancer. 1975 May 15;15(5):724–730. doi: 10.1002/ijc.2910150503. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Ventafridda V., Martino G., Mandelli V., Emanueli A. Indoprofen, a new analgesic and anti-inflammatory drug in cancer pain. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1975 Mar;17(3):284–289. doi: 10.1002/cpt1975173284. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Welch R. W., Bentch H. L., Harris S. C. Reduction of aspirin-induced gastrointestinal bleeding with cimetidine. Gastroenterology. 1978 Feb;74(2 Pt 2):459–463. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology are provided here courtesy of British Pharmacological Society

RESOURCES