[Pain in cancer patients. Practical attitude]

Abstract

All patients with cancer invariably experience pain during the course of their disease. Treatment- and diagnosis-related acute pain and persistent pain caused by the disease itself or treatment sequellae are involved. Pain should be suspected, diagnosed and evaluated as a first line symptom. The physician should recognized its different components and pathophysiological mechanisms. Treatment should be prescribed according to the needs of each patient and regularly verified to obtain maximal efficacity with the least side effects. Opiate drugs are frequently used for nocipeptive pain. Neurogenic pain requires selective use of psychotropes.