Pain control in patients with cancer

Pain is the most common symptom of advanced cancer. For most cancer patients, pain can be controlled with systemic analgesic and coanalgesic therapy in concert with treatment of their underlying cancer. Analgesic therapy for pain involves choosing the right drug and giving it at the proper dose and interval via the best route of administration. The goal of pain prevention requires around-the-clock dosing and aggressive titration of long-acting opioids with as--needed supplements of short-acting opioids for breakthrough pain. Sequential trials of alternative opioids plus the early use of pain-specific coanalgesics can further optimize patient comfort and function. Most clinicians should be able to control most of the pain in most of their cancer patients. Collaboration with pain and palliative care experts can help the rest. No cancer patient should live or die with unrelieved pain.