[Prevalence of pain in radiotherapy and improvement of its management]

To assess pain prevalence, its features and its management in a radiotherapy department of a French public general hospital. To highlight strategies to improve pain screening and treatment.

Designed in conjunction with pain management specialists, a cross-sectional study on pain was carried out. All patients treated in the department being interviewed with a standardised questionnaire during 2 days.

Among 91 patients, 63.7% reported pain in daily life. They respectively represented 100%, 85.7% and 83.3% all of the patients treated for brain tumours, for bone metastasis and for head and neck cancers. Only 7.7% of patients reported pain during radiotherapy sessions. Among patients reporting pain, 70.7% received pain relief treatment and 60.8% of them thought this was adequate. While 51.6% of patients knew there was a specialist pain unit in the hospital, only 5.5% were offered a consultation with it. This unit provides non-pharmacological pain management techniques.

This study confirms the importance, the underestimation and undertreatment, of pain management in radiotherapy departments. We recommend using a standardised questionnaire to identify patients at highest risk of pain, and the use of specialised pain relief teams when needed. A radiation therapist could act as a referrer to the pain relief team. Pain management remains teamwork, with links to specialised units.