Paliatívna medicína a liečba bolesti 3/2011

Cannabinoids – their role in chronic cancer pain management

Less than 10 years ago there were only very limited clinical data available on the possible benefits of cannabinoids in chronic pain (1). In sum, clinical data did not allow any conclusions on the role of cannabis and cannabinoids in chronic pain conditions at that time and suggested only a limited potential of cannabinoids in the treatment of pain. This picture changed within recent years with a number of clinical studies with different cannabinoid preparations. Sativex® is a pharmaceutical product standardized in composition, formulation, and dose, which is administered by means of an appropriate delivery system, and which has been and continues to be tested in properly controlled preclinical and clinical studies. Sativex® aims to address the needs of the many patients with advanced cancer who do not attain adequate pain relief from an opioid regimen.

Keywords: Sativex®, cannabinoids, endocannabinoids, therapy of cancer pain.