Quality of Life Study in Patients With Cancer Breakthrough Pain Treated in Palliative Care Units

Percentage of patients with neuropathic, visceral, somatic and mixed pain

Percentage of patients with neuropathic, visceral, somatic and mixed pain

Time frame: Baseline (the day that patient sign the informed consent form)

Comorbidities associated with patients

Percentage of patients with each comorbidity

Time frame: Baseline (the day that patient sign the informed consent form)

Change in mean Intensity of breakthrough cancer pain at each study visit

Intensity of breakthrough cancer pain assessed with a Visual Analog Scale (VAS). VAS will be compared at each study visit.

Time frame: Up to 4 weeks, from date of inclusion until week 4

Mean time to relief of breakthrough pain

Time from the start of the episode until the relief of breakthrough pain

Time frame: Up to 4 weeks, from date of inclusion until week 4

Mean duration of the episodes of breakthrough pain

Time from the start of the episode until the pain ends

Time frame: Up to 4 weeks, from date of inclusion until week 4

Patient Global improvement

Number of patients indicating each of the possible answers of the Patient Global Impression of improvement scale (7-points Likert scale)

Time frame: Week 4

Percentage of fragile patients at study entry

Frailty of patients will be assessed by Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS). It is considered that a patient is fragile when the symptom score is greater than 4 (moderate intensity) in five or more symptoms.

Time frame: Baseline

Cognitive impairment

Cognitive impairment (Pfeiffer test): 0-2 errors: intact cognition; 3-4 errors: mild impairment; 5-7 errors: moderate impairment; 8-10 errors: severe impairment. Percentage of patients in each category

Time frame: Baseline