[Oncologic pain therapy. Are there alternatives to pills and high-tech?]

State of the art pain management has to recognize physiologic, sensory, affective, cognitive, behavioural and sociocultural dimensions of the experience of cancer pain. This means that non-pharmacologic measures with effects on the subjective and affective situation of the patient may also be of benefit in pain management. However, restraint must be exercised in translating the positive results achieved with certain such measures in the treatment of benign pain to patients with cancer. Physiotherapy, psychology and psychotherapy should be used to expand pharmacologic and radiotherapeutic measures, but should not delay or replace them.