Dr Minit Shah speaks to ecancer about gabapentin plus tramadol versus tramadol alone for chemoradiotherapy-induced oral mucositis pain in head and neck cancer.

Oral mucositis pain during chemoradiation for head and neck cancer often leads to increased opioid use, negatively impacting patient quality of life.

This phase III trial evaluated whether adding gabapentin to standard tramadol-based analgesia could improve pain management.

Dr Shah highlights that while overall pain scores were similar between treatment groups, the addition of gabapentin significantly reduced the need for escalation to stronger opioids such as morphine.

Patients receiving gabapentin also showed trends toward fewer treatment interruptions and less weight loss, with manageable low-grade side effects and no compromise in quality of life.

These results demonstrate that gabapentin provides a meaningful opioid-sparing benefit and may be an effective strategy for managing mucositis-related pain during chemoradiation in head and neck cancer.