By increasing the accuracy with which treatment is delivered there is a potential for dose escalation, and potentially a subsequent increase in effectiveness, particularly in local control rates.
Rapid dose escalation requires close monitoring for both efficacy and side effects.
Administration of nicotinamide during chart: pharmacokinetics, dose escalation, and clinical toxicity.
Although major concerns about benzodiazepine tolerance and withdrawal have been raised, there is no evidence for significant dose escalation in patients using benzodiazepines long-term.
Children treated with nitrazepam for epilepsies may develop tolerance within months of continued use, with dose escalation often occurring with prolonged use.
In some instances dose escalation has been shown to achieve a higher probability of "cure" (i.e. local control) than conventional radiotherapy.
Although tolerance and opioid-induced hyperalgesia both result in a similar need for dose escalation, they are nevertheless caused by two distinct mechanisms.
Both techniques enable dose escalation, potentially increasing usefulness.
The request for dose escalation should not by itself be viewed as aberrant drug-related behavior, but the concerns it generates should be discussed.
Initial low doses may help to avoid initial side effects, but dose escalation may be required in order to see therapeutic effects.