[Drug therapy for pain in cancer patients]

The treatment of chronic pain in cancer patients with analgesic drugs has been evaluated from the records of 70 hospital admissions. Frequently, dose, timing and mode of prescription did not correspond to the requirements for treating this condition, which are derived from pathophysiological and pharmacological consideration. The reported experience stresses the importance of principles in analgesic therapy for chronic cancer pain, in particular, regular and sufficient medication to relieve pain as well as anxious expectation of pain, and restraint from placebo medication.