Testing a nerve pain medication to reduce opioid use during head and neck cancer treatment

This study is testing whether gabapentin, a medication often used for nerve pain, can help patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma avoid or delay using opioids during chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Oral mucositis (painful sores in the mouth) is a common and serious side effect of this cancer treatment, and opioids are typically prescribed to manage that pain. Researchers want to see if this medication can reduce the need for opioids while still controlling pain effectively.

Patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiation for head and neck cancer often develop severe mouth sores that require strong pain medication, typically opioids. Opioids carry risks of dependence and side effects, so finding a safer alternative way to manage this pain would help many cancer patients.