«Moderate to severe cancer pain: Are we taking serious action? (...)». António Barbosa et al

"Pain is one of the most feared and distressing symptoms associated with cancer. In Portugal, the incidence of malignant tumors has been increasing regularly, according to the 2017 National Program for Oncological Diseases. In 2016, cancer was the second basic cause of death in Portugal, representing 24.7% of mortality. Recently, a Portuguese study showed that of 371 patients with cancer-related pain (CRP), 77% had moderate to severe pain, whose severity could be explained by the lower morphine equivalent daily dose prescribed. Moreover, undertreatment of CRP was present in 25.6% of patients. There was an association between inadequacy of CRP treatment and absence of opioid prescriptions (p < 0.001)" - Author's introduction

Reference:

Reis-Pina, Paulo, Peter G. Lawlor, António Barbosa. «Moderate to severe cancer pain: Are we taking serious action? The opioide prescribing scneraio in Portugal». Acta Médica Portuguesa. 2018, 31 (9), 451-453 p.