Bryant Furlow

A review of the relationship between cancer, pain, pain management, and radiotherapy.

Overly aggressive or futile care at the end of a patient’s life is particularly costly, both in dollars and in terms of patients’ quality of life.

Cancer Therapy Advisor asked Dr Roberts about the PGen Study and the implications for DTC cancer risk testing in the future.

The treatment goal should not be to “cure” pain but rather to restore function.

Gabapentin enacarbil was associated with lower incidences of peripheral edema and weight gain than pregabalin, according to authors of a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 2 study.

Fewer than 2% of prescribers behave criminally. But those 2% are responsible for more than 90% of law enforcement activity on prescription drug diversion.

Pain producers include, but are not limited to, viral and bacterial causes, as well as aseptic inflammation, pressure due to neoplasm or other structural lesions, and endocrine/metabolic mechanisms.

Acute pain is lessened with opioid treatment but depression is associated with reduced response to acute opioid treatment.

Understanding why some patients can be more “difficult” than others can involve understanding
personality differences.

Pharmacogenomic testing can identify how genetic variations affect drug responses, and help guide treatment strategies for patients suffering from chronic pain.