Pain, cancer, and older adults

Pain is the most common symptom associated with cancer. Despite the fact that appropriate pain management exists, cancer pain often is inadequately controlled. Sixty percent to 85% of individuals with advanced cancer have either severe or chronic pain. Issues associated with cancer pain and pain management in later life include the effect of pain on the person, friends, and family; the influence of hope; the perception that older adults are less sensitive to painful stimuli; the special problems of drug management in older adults; and the unique issues of older women affected by cancer. This article concludes with implications for nurses. Future research needs to be directed to pain management at home, the ethics of pain management, pain in the cognitively impaired person, and the specific needs of older women.