This is a multicentric, randomized, open-label, phase IIIb national study, to evaluate the clinical effects (success/failure) of methadone for the treatment of cancer-related-pain in patients with inadequate pain relief or intolerable side effects when treated with level 3 opioid. Principal objective is to compare the clinical effects (success/failure) of two methods of methadone titration in patients with cancer-related pain inadequately relieved or with intolerable side effects after treatment with level 3 opioid. Secondary objectives are : Overall safety of methadone during the study, to describe the patients' characteristics, to describe the effects of methadone on pain relief, to describe the methadone administration, to evaluate patient's quality of life, to evaluate the prescriber's opinion regarding the handling of methadone initiation.
The randomisation (1:1) will consider the two titration methadone switching methods: * Group A: patient-controlled dose of methadone with no overlapping with the previous opioid treatment * Group B: fixed-dose of methadone with overlapping with the previous opioid treatment Study Description: Screening visit (Visit 1) within 48 hours before the inclusion Inclusion visit (Visit2) and randomisation on Day 1 Visit 3 from Day 2 to Day 7 (hospitalisation for all patients). Four follow-up visits on Day 14 (Visit 4), Day 21(Visit 5), Day 28 (Visit 6), Day 42 (Visit 7) End of study visit on Day 56 Follow-up phone contact on Day 84.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
146
Investigational Site 10
Amiens, France
Investigational Site 06
Bayonne, France
Investigational Site 13
Caen, France
Investigational Site 03
Gap, France
Investigational Site 11
Le Chesnay, France
Investigational Site 07
Lille, France
Investigational Site 16
Lyon, France
Investigational Site 12
Nice, France
Investigational Site 14
Paris, France
Investigational Site 02
Pierre-Bénite, France
...and 6 more locations
Binary main criterion based on success/failure rate related to methadone switch on Day 4.
The success is defined as the adequate pain relief on Day 4 and no occurrence of overdose between Day 1 and Day 4. All unmet definition of success will be considered as a failure. The adequate pain relief is defined as the composite criterion: * Decrease of at least 2 points on the pain numeric scale from 0 (no pain) to 10 (unacceptable pain) evaluated on Day 4 when compared to the pain numeric scale score at baseline, * And a pain numeric scale score \<5 during two consecutive days (between Day 1 and Day 4)
Time frame: Day 4
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