Applying oxycodone when patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma having mild versus moderate pain caused by radiation mucositis

Objective To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of early use of oxycodone control release tablets for radiation mucositis in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Methods The patients were randomly divided into a study group (mild) and a control group (moderate). All the patients received radical radiotherapy and got radiation mucositis. Oxycodone control release tablets were given at either mild (the study group) or moderate (the control group) pain levels. The analgesic effects, adverse effects, and nutrition status were compared between the two groups. Results 154 patients were enrolled and equally allocated into a study group and a control group, 77 for each group. The effective rates (complete response and partial response) were 87.0% and 89.6% in the study group and the control group, respectively, with no statistical difference (P=0.617). The mild or no pain (numbering rating scores ≤ 3) time was (19.84±6.02) d in the control group and (23.86±6.55) d in the study group, with a statistical difference (P<0.01). Patients in both two groups lost their weight. The study group had better nutrition status than the control group, but with no statistical difference [weight loss (7.40±3.57)% vs. (8.68±4.18)%, P=0.161]. The main adverse reactions included constipation, nausea/vomit, dizzy, and so on; there were no statistical differences in the incidence and levels of adverse reactions between these two groups. Conclusions Early use of oxycodone control release tablets for radiation mucositis in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma has longer no pain or mild pain time, but cannot improve nutrition status. Key words: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma; Radiation therapy; Radiation mucositis; Analgesic treatment; Oxycodone