[Evaluation and determinants of pain in patients hospitalized for cancer]

Pain is a symptom that occurs in almost every third person at the time of diagnosis of cancer. Its intensity and frequency increases with the progression of the disease.

The aim of the studywas to determine of pain conditions in patients treated for cancer during oncological treatment.

The study included 229 randomly selected patients hospitalized at Fr. B. Markiewicz Specialist Hospital of the Podkarpacki Oncological Center in Brzozów. The method of the diagnostic survey and the technique of the survey were used. The research tools were the author's questionnaire and the numerical rating scale NRS (Numeric Rating Scale). The statistical analysis used the following tests: U Mann Whitney and symmetric measures Phi and V Kramer based on the chi-square test. The statistical significance level p≤0.05 was assumed.

The incidence of pain resulting from neoplastic disease, treatment and the consequences of the disease was declared by 61,6% of patients. The mean severity of pain in patients was 3.38. Middleaged pain was reported by 55.3% of patients. Low level pain occurred in almost every third patient (31.9%) and in severe form in 12.8% of patients. The most frequent places of pain were abdominal cavity, osteoarticular system and head. Painkillers were taken by 59.4% of patients and mainly were drugs from the first stage of analgesic ladder, among them Paracetamol. Morphine - every tenth patient took the drug of the third grade of the analgesic ladder. The pain was not affected by education, age, sex, marital status, place of residence and self-assessment of functioning in everyday life. Patients suffering from pain assessed their health better.

Most individuals with cancer suffered from pain and painkillers, mainly from the first degree of analgesic ladder. The occurrence of pain was not differentiated as for socio-demographic variables. The treatment method was associated with the sensation of pain, the experience of which influenced the self-assessment of health. Pain is a threat to the quality of life and significantly affects the treatment process. Relief and elimination of pain is a priority in the care and treatment of cancer patients.