About one-third of people with cancer have pain. Cancer pain can be affected by:
Most cancer pain can be managed with treatment.
Cancer pain may be caused by:
Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.
Having cancer is the main risk factor for cancer pain.
Cancer pain will vary from person to person. The pain may be:
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:
Nerve tests, such as:
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:
Radiation therapy can help to shrink tumors and ease:
Alternative treatments to ease pain may include:
Procedures are sometimes used to ease cancer pain. Options may be:
Counseling and support groups may also be advised—to help with coping.
Cancer pain usually cannot be prevented.
American Cancer Society
https://www.cancer.org
National Cancer Institute
https://www.cancer.gov
Canadian Cancer Society
https://www.cancer.ca
Provincial Health Services Authority
http://www.bccancer.bc.ca
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
EBSCO Information Services is fully accredited by URAC. URAC is an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation.
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.
To send comments or feedback to our Editorial Team regarding the content please email us at healthlibrarysupport@ebsco.com. Our Health Library Support team will respond to your email request within 2 business days.