Cancer pain management and the role of social work: barriers and interventions

Quality of life has become increasingly important in the management of cancer, because patients with the disease are surviving longer. Although effective therapies exist, more than half of all cancer patients suffer unrelieved pain during illness and treatment. Undertreated and unnecessary pain represents a failure of the multidisciplinary team, including the social worker, to respond appropriately to the needs of cancer patients. This article increases social workers' awareness of the prevalence of cancer-related pain, identifies the barriers that undermine effective pain relief, and develops a model for social work intervention. Skills such as communication, assessment, problem solving, and psychological support are explored in detail.