Cancer Pain Syndromes

Abstract

Patients with cancer experience many acute and chronic pain syndromes, the identification of which may be helpful in the assessment and treatment of pain. Syndromes are defined by the relationship with the cancer, the pain pathophysiology, and the clinical characteristics of the pain. The most common pain syndromes are directly related to the tumor; bone pain syndromes are most common. Neuropathic pain syndromes may involve cancer-related injury at any level of the peripheral nervous system. Treatment-related pain syndromes may follow any type of antineoplastic therapy. This article reviews the phenomenology of common acute and chronic cancer pain syndromes.

Keywords: Bone pain; Cancer pain; Cancer pain syndromes; Cancer-related neuropathic pain; Cancer-related syndrome; Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy; Malignant bowel obstruction; Mucositis.