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Health Library Home>Disease, Condition, & Injury Fact Sheets>Article

Cancer Pain Syndromes

by Amy Scholten, MPH
Definition
Causes
Risk Factors
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention

Definition

About one-third of people with cancer have pain. Cancer pain can be affected by:

  • The cancer getting worse
  • Where cancer is in the body
  • A person's physical condition

Most cancer pain can be managed with treatment.

Causes

Cancer pain may be caused by:

  • Tumors pressing on bone, nerves, or an organ.
  • Cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery

Chemotherapy Affects the Whole Body
Chemotherapy

Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.

Risk Factors

Having cancer is the main risk factor for cancer pain.

Symptoms

Cancer pain will vary from person to person. The pain may be:

  • Near or far from the tumor
  • Mild, moderate, or severe
  • Regular and long lasting, or it may come and go
  • Felt as pressure, sharp, dull, throbbing, burning, stabbing, or achy

Diagnosis

The doctor will ask about symptoms and past health. A physical exam will be done. Tests may also be done to find possible causes of the pain. They may include:

Imaging tests such as:

  • CT scan
  • MRI scan

Nerve tests, such as:

  • Electromyography (EMG)
  • Nerve conduction velocity (NCV)

Treatment

Treatment depends on the type of pain. It also depends on how the cancer has been treated. The goal is to manage pain. Options may be:

Medicine

  • Non-opioids—to treat mild-to-moderate cancer pain:
    • Acetaminophen
    • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
  • Opioids—often used to treat moderate-to-severe cancer pain
  • Medicines to treat nerve pain:
    • Antidepressants
    • Anticonvulsants
    • Steroids
  • Medicines to treat bone pain:
    • Bisphosphonates
    • Denosumab

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy can help to shrink tumors and ease:

  • Bone pain
  • Pain caused by tumors pressing on other structures

Alternative Treatments

Alternative treatments to ease pain may include:

  • Acupuncture
  • Hypnotherapy
  • Massage therapy
  • Mindfulness
  • Music
  • Creative arts therapy

Procedures

Procedures are sometimes used to ease cancer pain. Options may be:

  • Ablation—using cold or heat to destroy cancer cells
  • Injection of a numbing drug and steroid into the spinal cord area
  • Spinal cord stimulation—an implanted device sends impulses to the spinal cord
  • An implanted pump—to deliver numbing medicine

Counseling and support groups may also be advised—to help with coping.

Prevention

Cancer pain usually cannot be prevented.

RESOURCES:

American Cancer Society
https://www.cancer.org

National Cancer Institute
https://www.cancer.gov

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

Canadian Cancer Society
https://www.cancer.ca

Provincial Health Services Authority
http://www.bccancer.bc.ca

REFERENCES:

Cancer pain. American Cancer Society website. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/physical-side-effects/pain.html. Accessed September 22, 2021.

Cancer pain. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/cancer-pain. Accessed September 22, 2021.

Deng G. Integrative medicine therapies for pain management in cancer patients. Cancer J. 2019;25(5):343-348.

General information about cancer pain. National Cancer Institute website. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/side-effects/pain/pain-pdq. Accessed September 22, 2021.

Last reviewed July 2021 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Mohei Abouzied, MD, FACP  Last Updated: 9/22/2021

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This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

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