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. 2024 Dec 12:18:1821.
doi: 10.3332/ecancer.2024.1821. eCollection 2024.

Management of pain in cancer patients - an update

María Laura Daud  1   2 , Gustavo G De Simone  1   2   3   4
Affiliations

Management of pain in cancer patients - an update

María Laura Daud et al. Ecancermedicalscience. .

Abstract

Pain is one of the most detrimental symptoms exhibited by cancer patients, being an indication for opioid therapy in up to half of the patients receiving chemotherapy and even more for those with advanced cancer. This article aims to briefly overview current knowledge on cancer-related pain with a focus on assessment and new approaches and trends. We will also provide some insight on the lower- and middle-income countries context.

Data sources: A narrative review of the literature was conducted including relevant guidelines and recommendations from scientific societies and WHO.

Data summary: Data on the approach and assessment of cancer pain as well as current and novel approaches have been displayed with the help of tables and figures.

Conclusion: Since the initial recommendations of the WHO analgesic ladder method, new insights have emerged. Scientific progress reaches its maximum social sense when populations and governments prioritise the value of relief and compassion, and concrete actions are implemented with the aim of relieving cancer pain.

Keywords: analgesics; cancer; pain; palliative care.

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Conflict of interest statement

No competing interests are declared by the authors.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Unidimensional pain scales. (a): VAS, (b): NRS, (c): Wong–Baker faces pain rating scale, (d): Verbal rating scale (VRS).
Figure 2.
Figure 2.. Inspired by: https://www.compassioninstitute.com/about/why-compassion-training/.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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