[Pain treatment in cancer patients.]

Freedom from cancer pain is one of the four priorities of the WHO Cancer Control Programme. Every day 3.5 million people are suffering from cancer pain, and most do not receive adequate relief. A lack of training in cancer pain management at most nursing and medical schools is the principal reason for this, coupled with limited availability of oral strong opioids in many countries. Education is the key to progress in cancer pain management. Health workers must appreciate that: 1. Attention must be paid to all aspects of suffering -physical, psychological, social and spiritual. 2. In advanced cancer, most patients with pain have multiple pain. 3. Pain experienced in carcinoma is not always caused by the tumour. 4. There is more to pain management than the use of analgesics. 5. In the case of opioid-responsive pains, analgesics should be administered by mouth according to a regular time-schedule and with dose increments. 6. Adjuvant medication is generally necessary. 7. Opioid-resistant pains require other forms of treatment. 8. Pain is the physiological antagonist to the central depressant effects of opioids. 9. Opioid tolerance is not a problem in practice. 10. Psychological dependence does not occur in patients receiving opioids for pain relief. 11. Patients receiving analgesics must be carefully monitored. 12. Teamwork is necessary for good results.