Breakthrough cancer pain: review and calls to action to improve its management

In this paper, we review the current state of breakthrough cancer pain (BTcP) management. BTcP is a heterogeneous condition and a global problem for cancer patients. It is often managed suboptimally, which results in a negative outcome for patients, healthcare providers, and healthcare systems. Several barriers to the appropriate management of BTcP have been identified. These include, among others, an incomplete definition of BTcP, poor training of healthcare providers and patients alike, a lack of a multidisciplinary approach and the absence of specific protocols and tools. We provide some actions to help physicians and patients improve their approach to BTcP, including specific training, the design of easy-to-use tools for BTcP identification and assessment (such as checklists and pocket-sized cards), individualized treatment, and the use of multidisciplinary teams.