Oncologic pain

When dealing with the pain produced by an oncological process, we establish the following objectives:

• Position the patient as the center of the whole treatment, involve him/her and make him/her an active part of the process by participating in the decision making process. The patient’s family members will be supportive.
• Improve the patient’s quality of life.
• To base treatments under the protocol of a three-dimensional approach (bio-psycho-social).
• Adapt treatment to the specific phase of the disease.

A correct diagnosis of pain with a multidisciplinary vision, including the information provided by both the patient and his or her relatives and a close and periodic follow-up will allow an early approach minimizing the effects on the patients.

Most cancer patients can obtain satisfactory pain relief through a comprehensive approach that encompasses different treatments:

• Oral pharmacological treatment whenever possible and when the patient’s conditions allow it. Transdermal drugs can also be used.
• Interventional treatments: Interventional and surgical treatment aims to treat specific conditions that are responsible for part or all of the symptoms presented by the cancer patient. When treating pain with interventional treatments in these situations it is important to distinguish between pain related to the growth of the tumor itself and pain unrelated to the tumor. The latter can be produced by some of the treatments applied, such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy or surgical resection of the tumor. In fact, many of the pain management problems manifested in cancer survivors are similar to those of chronic patients with pain for a non-oncologic reason. Interventional treatments include:
  • Treatments of sympathetic structures
  • Intrathecal treatments
  • Treatments on peripheral nerves
  • Neurostimulation
  • Ablation of bone tumors