Cancer pain. Epidemiology and syndromes

Cancer pain (classification and pain syndromes).

Inspite the new informations about the physiology and biochemistry of pain, it remains true that pain is only partially understood. Cancer pain is often experienced as several different types of pain, with combined somatic and neuropathic types the most frequently. If the acute cancer pain does not subside with initial therapy, patients experience pain of more constant nature, the characteristi...

Cancer pain syndromes and pharmacotherapy of cancer pain

Acute Pain Syndromes in Cancer

Cancer requires appropriate assessment (diagnostic interventions), treatment interventions (hormonal therapy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery) or palliative symptom management [1,3]. These all interventions may lead to acute pain syndrome including neuropathies due to injuries to nerves during surgical intervention, acute neurotoxicity due to chemotherapeutic agents and acute radiation indu...

Classification of cancer pain syndromes.

Cancer patients experience pain in multiple sites and from several pathophysiologies of the symptom complex. The fluctuating nature of cancer pain intensity is a relevant clinical feature and depends on disease patterns and pain mechanisms. Breakthrough pain is defined as episodes of pain that "break through" the control of an otherwise effective analgesic therapy. Traditional ways of classifyi...

Chronic pain syndromes in cancer survivors.

Advances in medical knowledge and treatment have resulted in improved five-year survival rates for some forms of cancer. However, pain syndromes resulting from chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery or interventional procedures continue to have a significant effect on cancer survivors' quality of life. Nurses are uniquely placed to assess pain in cancer survivors and ensure pain management strateg...