Efficacy and gastrointestinal tolerability of oral oxycodone/naloxone combination for chronic pain in outpatients with cancer: an observational study.

Combination opioid agonist/antagonist therapy has been shown to preserve bowel function in patients with chronic cancer pain. This retrospective study evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of prolonged-released fixed-dose oxycodone-naloxone (PR OXN) in consecutive outpatients with chronic cancer pain. Of 206 patients prescribed PR OXN (mean age 61.3 ± 12.9 years; 52.9% female), 31.5% were opioid naïve. PR OXN was associated with a significant decrease in pain score measured on a visual analogue scale over 28 days (P < .0001), without adverse effects on bowel function, nor change in laxative use. PR OXN efficacy and tolerability were similar in opioid-naïve and -experienced patients, and among age-stratified subgroups. No severe side effects occurred. In a real-life outpatient setting, PR OXN provided analgesia without bowel dysfunction in patients with chronic cancer pain.