Abstract: All patients with advanced cancer suffer from cancer pain.Currently, opioids are the first line drugs in the management of cancer pain.Consequently, the incidence of opioid-induced hyperalgesia(OIH) is increasing and more attention has been focused on it.Research on the related mechanisms of OIH has recently becomes a hot topic in cancer pain control.The research progress on OIH from the central glutaminergic system, signal transduction pathways, opioid and peripheral receptors, the intracellular mechanism, genetic factors, and relevant clinical observations are discussed to provide information for clinical diagnosis and treatment of OIH.