[Pain therapy in cancer pain patients: control of therapy with the Potsdam pain questionnaire.].

154 cancer pain patients were treated from 1988 to 1990 according to the three-step analgesic ladder (TSAL) recommended by the WHO. The patients were assigned into 4 groups: WHO-I: patients were treated only with non-opioids, WHO-II: patients received a combination of non-opioid plus a weak opioid, WHO-III: patients were treated with strong opioids or a combination of a strong opioid plus a non-opioid; and the 4th group consisted of patients receiving a strong opioid epidurally. Our results, using the TSLA and comparing then to the pretreatment status, show complete or acceptable cancer pain relief among the patients as follows: in WHO-I: 44%, in WHO-II: 55%, in WHO-III: 63%, and in the 4th group 70%. The use of the TSAL resulted not only in a reduction of the pain level, but also in an increase of the quality of the life for these cancer pain patients. Also the mean duration of the patients' sleep was increased by more than one hour. An improvement of mood was observed, and the stabilisation of mood lasted longer.