Described as a lozenge with a handle, the medication works by absorption through the lining of the cheek directly into the bloodstream. This allows for quicker relief of breakthrough pain.
Pain control is every cancer patient's right.
Breakthrough cancer pain is particularly difficult to treat due to its unpredictable, severe, and rapid onset. Approximately 50 percent of all cancer pain patients, more than 800,000 patients in the United States, experience breakthrough cancer pain. Actiq is the first product specifically designed and studied for breakthrough cancer pain. Available only to adults by prescription, Actiq is indicated only for patients with chronic cancer pain, requiring around the clock opioid analgesis. The most common side effects observed with Actiq are drowsiness, nausea, vomiting and dizziness, which are generally associated with opioid therapy.