Intraventricular morphine administration for control of chronic cancer pain.

Twenty cancer patients with severe chronic pain have been treated with intraventricular morphine sulfate. Adequate pain relief until death was achieved in 10 patients; 1 patient has been treated for 9 months and is still being treated. In 2 patients, the effects of the morphine sulfate on their unilateral pelvic pain wore off after 4 and 6 months because of tumor progression.