This paper discusses the treatment of pain in the palliative care patient, specifically the use of meloxicam and recent advances in agents with cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) selectivity. Meloxicam is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that preferentially inhibits COX-2 more than cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1), especially at low doses, thereby offering advantages over traditional nonselective NSAIDs. New COX-2 selective agents are discussed, including valdecoxib, parecoxib, etoricoxib, and COX-189.
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