Nonpharmacologic Approaches for Pain Management in Patients With Cancer Treated With Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy (RT) is central to cancer treatment, yet pain from RT-related toxicities remains common and often inadequately controlled with pharmacologic care alone. Integrative medicine modalities are increasingly used to complement standard analgesic strategies, but their role in RT-related pain has not been comprehensively synthesized. In this narrative review, we summarize clinical evidence for nonpharmacologic approaches to RT-related pain, including acupuncture, massage, hypnosis, yoga, and exercise. We further include strategies for incorporating these modalities across the RT care continuum, from pretreatment assessment and on-treatment symptom control nonpharmacologic strategies may reduce pain, while some may also reduce analgesic use or improve quality of life, supporting a more proactive, integrative model of pain management in RT. However, further rigorously designed prospective studies focusing on radiation-related pain and care delivery process are needed to examine the specific efficacy and optimal integration in the context of radiation oncology.