Managing cancer pain

Despite the existence of effective analgesic drugs, many cancer patients live and die with ineffective pain control. The control of cancer pain is largely achievable with the appropriate use of available analgesics and co-analgesics. It requires attention to detail by a sympathetic physician who will treat the patient as a whole person. The support of knowledgeable nursing, social work, and chaplaincy staff in hospital and at home is essential to the on-going care of these patients. The major obstacles to the control of cancer pain are the physician's lack of detailed inquiry and attention, combined with the inappropriate and inadequate use of analgesics. The misinformation, prejudice and fear surrounding narcotic analgesics are largely unfounded in treating this group of patients. This article addresses issues of management and details a logical approach to analgesic use in patients with cancer pain.