Drug's side effects outweigh relief

A Flinders University study has found that, after decades of use, cancer pain drug ketamine delivers more side effects for patients than relief. Source: Herald Sun

AN anaesthetic drug widely used for decades to treat pain related to cancer has no overall clinical benefit, Flinders University researchers have found.

The national study of 185 patients found significantly higher rates of toxicity and other side-effects among the 93 patients given pain drug ketamine as part of their treatment, compared with the 92 who were given a placebo.

Chief Investigator and Professor of Palliative and Supportive Services at Flinders University, David Currow, said the results highlighted the potential harm which can be caused by prescribing drugs in ways other than they were originally intended without adequate trials - as ketamine was used.

"At sub-anaesthetic doses, ketamine has been shown to help in post-operative pain relief," he said. "So the trial of it in cancer-related pain, where the nerve itself is damaged, was a very logical step."

But, he said despite great hope for the drug, the role of ketamine in routine clinical care for chronic, complex cancer pain was "not in any way supported by this study".

"The result is resoundingly negative," Prof Currow said.

"There was great hope across the clinical world that it would be effective for complex cancer pain."

Instead, he said, those who were given ketamine experienced more side effects including confusion, dizziness and difficulty thinking.

"People at the end of life right across the age spectrum are frail ... they deserve the very best evidence to inform their clinical treatment," Prof Currow said.

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Drug's side effects outweigh relief