Evaluation of Gabapentin as a Treatment of Breakthrough Cancer Pain Caused by Metastatic Prostate Adenocarcinoma

Abstract

Introduction

Breakthrough Cancer Pain (BTcP) is defined as a temporary increase in pain that occurs spontaneously. The use of gabapentin is believed to be able to reduce pain complaints in patients with BTcP. However, research to support the efficacy of gabapentin in relieving pain in patients with BTcP is still limited. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of the use of gabapentin in patients with BTcP caused by metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma.

Methods

The study was conducted by analytic study with a prospective approach. The subjects were all patients with metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma at Zainoel Abidin General Hospital during 2022–2023 which fulfilled inclusion and exclusion criteria (30 patients). Data analysis was performed in the form of reduction in pain scale in patients with BTcP caused by metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma using gabapentin and the combination of the opioid gabapentin with T-Test.

Results

The results showed that there was no significant difference between the reduction in posttreatment pain in patients with BTcP caused by metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma taking gabapentin alone or taking the opioid gabapentin combination, either on days 3–4 or on days 5–6 (p > 0.05). However, based on the results of the evaluation on day 3–4, it was found that gabapentin was able to reduce pain by 2.2272, whereas the combination of opioid gabapentin was only able to reduce pain by 1.916. The evaluation on days 5–6 showed that gabapentin was able to reduce pain by 4.1363 and the combination of gabapentin opioids by 3.2083.

Conclusion

The conclusion of this research is that gabapentin is effective in the treatment of BTcP caused by metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma.

Keywords:

• gabapentin
• breakthrough cancer pain
• metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma

Informed Consent

This study was approved by the ethical committee of Dr Zainoel Abidin General Hospital with number 409/EA/FK-RSUDZA/2021. Informed consent was obtained from the study participants prior to study commencement.

Disclosure

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest in this work.

Additional information

Funding

No funding supports this study.