[An approach to home therapy for cancer pain patients]

Recently, in consideration of cost performance and improvement in quality of life (QOL) of the patient, the significance of home care and outpatient treatment has also been recognized in Japan. A terminal cancer patient who had local recurrence in the pelvic region after surgery for rectum carcinoma, was treated for cancer pain by us with a continuous epidural infusion of morphine by means of a prolonged operating continuous infusion device. The treatment made home therapy possible and allowed the patient to return to normal social activities. Based on this case, the significance of and issues regarding home therapy are discussed in this study.