Hugo Chavez: The cancer went into its final stage

June 4, 2012
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The battle of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez against cancer entered in its final stage.

Chavez, 57, does not expect to live more than a few months at most, Spanish newspaper ABC said.

The leader of South America is taking fentanyl, a drug that is 100 times stronger than morphine to alleviate the pain of aggressive cancer that spread to the bones and side effects of chemotherapy and radiation.

Drugs are so powerful that at some point his body will not be able to tolerate them.

The powerful fentanyl is delivered through dermatological patches, introducing the substance into the blood through the skin, taking up little space and is placed under the clothing, not being visible when the president appears in public.

Also very thin, and therefore normally not visible by others, is diapers often have to use because they can not control their bodily functions.

The president also takes bisphosphonate, a class of medications aimed to slowing down bone metastases and combat bone loss.

Corticosteroids are given to reduce pain and deal with side effects of radiation and chemotherapy.