Intrathecal analgesia in cancer pain

The incidence of cancer continues to increase worldwide. This leads to an increase in the number of patients, with pain associated to their disease or treatment. When oral pain medications fail to provide relief or result in significant toxicities, intrathecal analgesia may be a treatment option. We reviewed available preclinical and clinical studies as well as previously published review articles on the use of intrathecal analgesia and implanted drug delivery systems for cancer pain. There is good evidence for the use of intrathecal analgesia in cancer pain management. We outline recent findings in intrathecal analgesics and implantable devices. Physicians now have the ability to make better-informed decisions regarding drug selection and method of neuroaxial analgesia than in the past. There is still much that is unknown, and further research for the use of intrathecal analgesics in cancer pain is warranted.