Transmucosal in addition to transdermal fentanyl, administered in exacerbations of cancer pain, does not change the emotional status of patients

__________________________________________________________________________________________ Introduction: Opioids, regardless of the route of administration, are essential analgesics for the treatment of cancer pain. The transmucosal route of fentanyl administration is a relatively new but widely used technique. Purpose: The authors attempted to assess the effectiveness of a submucosal dose of fentanyl, indicated for the control of breakthrough pain in patients who are on the transdermal fentanyl patch, and to evaluate the impact of both opioids on the emotional state of the patient. Materials and methods: 48 patients were assigned to different analgesia groups, and the VAS pain scale and Beck Depression Inventory, before and after submucosal analgesia, were used to evaluate their pain. Results: It has been shown that fentanyl provides dose-dependent analgesia. This analgesia is independent of the concentration of fentanyl in the blood serum. The method of administration of fentanyl has no effect on the level of depression, according to the BDI inventory. Furthermore, there is no statistically significant effect on the mood of the patient group based on the analgesia used. Conclusions: Submucosal fentanyl added to the basic analgesic therapy is effective, well tolerated, and does not alter patient mood.