ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a case study of Pat, who is a 36-year-old woman, married, with two sons aged 12 and 9 years. She had problems with her bowels for several months before some rectal bleeding made her see her GP. Investigations revealed a carcinoma of the sigmoid colon with liver metastases. She has several pains and it is decided to start her on morphine. Morphine is absorbed from the small bowel, then metabolised in the liver to an active metabolite which is excreted through the kidney. For continuous pain, analgesia should be continuous. Regular administration should enable good pain control between doses so that the aim is no longer treatment of the pain, but preventing it from returning. The exact timing depends on experience with the length of action of the analgesic.
