Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: N/A
Brief Summary: For cancer patients with inadequate pain relief, a switch to an alternative opioid is the preferred option for symptomatic improvement. However, multiple opioids are often simultaneously administered for anecdotal reasons.

The present study isdesigned to assess the analgesic profiles of two different strategies in chronic cancer pain: the opioid rotation from oxycodone to transdermal fentanyl and the combination of oral oxycodone and transdermal fentanyl.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

* instrumental and clinical diagnosis of every malignant neoplasm
* presence of pain with a neuropathic component in the opinion of the physician
* presence of pain \>=4(NRS)
* PS ECOG \<3
* written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

* serum creatinine \>2mg/ml or creatinine clearance \<40 ml/min
* mild or severe hepatic insufficiency
* iatrogenic neuropathy caused by chemotherapeutic agents
* previous allergic reactions to oxycodone and pregabalin
* pregnancy or breastfeeding
B: Inclusion Criteria:

* patients with diagnostic (histological or cytological) evidence of locally advanced or metastatic solid tumour;
* with average pain intensity ≥ 4, measured with NRS and related to the last 24 hours, due to the cancer, requiring for the first time an analgesic treatment with 3rd step/WHO opioids
* with life expectancy \> one month
* "strong" opioid naïve;
* eligible to take any of the medications under evaluation, by TDS or by mouth;
* with age ≥ 18 years;

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients recruited in other researches that conflict or may confound the conduction and results of the present study;
* Lack of informed consent;
* with presence of other diseases, including psychiatric/mental illness, severe senile or other form of dementia, that can interfere with participation and compliance with the study protocol or can contraindicate the use of the investigational drugs;
* with presence of co-morbidities, which could create potentially dangerous drug interactions with opioids (eg, use of macrolide antibiotics or antifungal,....);
* any kind of contraindications to the use of opioid drugs;
* Patients with a known story, past or current, of drugs abuse or addiction;
* Use of drugs which presents a combination of opioids and other molecule (as NSAIDs, paracetamol, naloxone, ..);
* Patients who cannot guarantee regular follow-up visits for logistic or geographic reasons;
* Need of starting 3rd step treatment in an "emergency clinical situation" that do not allow the correct procedures of randomization;
* diagnosis of primary brain tumor or leukaemia;
* diagnosis of chronic renal failure;
* patients with antalgic radiotherapy or radio-metabolic therapy in progress or completed less than 14 days before study;
* patients starting a first line chemotherapy simultaneously to the beginning of the study;
* other types of analgesic treatments, including local-regional anesthetic techniques or neurosurgical /ablative methods.
C: Inclusion Criteria:

1. Male or female subjects at least 18 years or older with a diagnosis of cancer.
2. Females less than one year post-menopausal must have a negative urine pregnancy test recorded at the screening visit, be non-lactating, and willing to use adequate and highly effective method of contraception throughout the study. Highly effective methods of birth control are defined as those which result in a low failure rate (i.e. less than 1% per year) when used consistently and correctly such as sterilization, implants, injectables, combined oral contraceptives, some IUDs (hormonal), sexual abstinence or vasectomised partner.
3. Subjects who are receiving WHO step II or Step III analgesic medication who have constipation induced, or worsened by their opioid medication, as shown by

   1. the subject's medical need of regular intake of laxatives to have at least 3 bowel evacuations per week, or having less than 3 bowel evacuations when not taking a laxative, respectively.
   2. the subject's self-assessment that their constipation was induced or worsened by their current pre-study opioid medication.
4. Documented history of moderate to severe, chronic cancer pain that requires around-the-clock opioid therapy (starting dose at the beginning of the double-blind phase of oxycodone PR between 20 - 80 mg/day) and are likely to benefit from WHO step III opioid therapy for the duration of the study. Subjects must be willing to discontinue their current opioid analgesic routine.
5. Subjects are willing to discontinue pre-study laxative medication and take study specific laxative medication.
6. Subjects taking daily fibre supplementation or bulking agents are eligible if they can be maintained on a stable dose and regimen throughout the study, and in the investigators opinion are willing and able to maintain adequate hydration.
7. Subjects willing and able (e.g. mental and physical condition) to participate in all aspects of the study, including use of medication, completion of subjective evaluations, attending scheduled clinic visits, completing telephone contacts, and compliance with protocol requirements as evidenced by providing written, informed consent.
8. Subjects already taking non-opioid analgesics and all other concomitant medications (including those for the treatment of depression) are eligible to take part in the study. However, all concomitant medications that are considered necessary for the subject's welfare should be continued at a stable dose throughout the double-blind phase of the study and under the supervision of the investigator. Regarding cyclic chemotherapy please see exclusion criteria list.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Subjects that require a dose \>80 mg/day oxycodone PR at the start of the double-blind phase.
2. Any history of hypersensitivity to oxycodone, naloxone, bisacodyl, related products, and other ingredients.
3. Subjects with any situation in which opioids are contra-indicated, severe respiratory depression with hypoxia and/or hypercapnia, severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cor pulmonale, severe bronchial asthma, paralytic ileus.
4. Evidence of clinically significant cardiovascular, renal, hepatic or psychiatric disease, as determined by medical history, clinical laboratory tests, ECG results, and physical examination, that would place the subject at risk upon exposure to the study medication or that may confound the analysis and/or interpretation of the study results.
5. Abnormal aspartate aminotransferase (AST; SGOT), alanine aminotransferase (ALT; SGPT), or alkaline phosphatase levels (\>3 times the upper limit of normal) or an abnormal total bilirubin and/or creatinine level(s) (greater than 1.5 times the upper limit of normal).
6. Subjects with known or suspected unstable brain metastases or spinal cord compression that may require changes in steroid treatment throughout the duration of the study.
7. Subjects with uncontrolled seizures.
8. Subjects with increased intracranial pressure.
9. In the investigator's opinion, subjects who are receiving hypnotics or other central nervous system (CNS) depressants that may pose a risk of additional CNS depression with opioid study medication.
10. Subjects with myxodema, not adequately treated hypothyroidism or Addisons disease.
11. Active alcohol or drug abuse and/or history of opioid abuse.
12. Subjects receiving opioid substitution therapy for opioid addiction (e.g. methadone or buprenorphine).
13. Subjects with evidence of clinically significant gastrointestinal disease (e.g. paralytic ileus, peritoneal carcinosis), significant structural abnormalities of the gastrointestinal tract (e.g. scarring, obstruction etc) either related or not related to the underlying cancer or disease progression.
14. Subjects who have a confirmed diagnosis of ongoing irritable bowel syndrome.
15. Subjects suffering from diarrhea and/or opioid withdrawal.
16. Surgery completed prior to the start of the Screening Period, or planned surgery during the study that would influence pain or bowel function during the study or preclude completion of the study.
17. Cyclic chemotherapy in the two weeks before the screening visit or planned during the core study that has shown in the past to influence bowel function. If subjects are having their first cycle of chemotherapy during the 2 weeks before the screening visit or during the double-blind phase of the study they should be excluded from the study.
18. Radiotherapy that, in the investigators opinion, would influence bowel function or pain during the double-blind phase of the study.
19. Subjects presently taking, or who have taken, naloxone 30 days prior to the start of the Screening Period.
20. Subjects who participated in a clinical research study involving a new chemical entity or an experimental drug within 30 days of study entry (defined as the start of the Screening Period).
D: Inclusion Criteria:

* Chronic Uncontrolled Pain That Required Stronger Opioid Therapy Than They Have Been Taking
* Histologically Confirmed Solid Cancer
* Aged Over 18 Years
* Admitted in a Palliative Cancer Care Unit

Exclusion Criteria:

* Uspected to Have Narcotic Abuse, Clinically Relevant CO2 Retention or Had an Active Skin Disease
* Inability to swallow oral medication, and impaired sensory or cognitive function
* Patients who had an active infection, uncontrolled central nervous system involvement, or on antitumor therapy of any kind

Answer: D