Psychotropic adjuvant analgesic drugs for cancer pain.

Overview

Narcotic analgesics are the mainstay of pharmacological interventions for cancer pain. There is however growing awareness that psychotropic drugs, in particular the antidepressants, are useful adjuvant analgesic agents in the management of cancer pain. In addition many of these drugs are important in the treatment of psychiatric complications of cancer. Unfortunately cancer patients with pain are most vulnerable to such problems as depression, anxiety and delirium. For the clinician who wants to provide comprehensive management of cancer pain, familiarity with the indications and usefulness of psychotropic drugs will be most rewarding.