Pain Management - What is Cancer Pain?

What is Cancer Pain?

Cancer pain takes many forms. It may be short-lived or long-lasting, mild or severe, or affect one or a few organs, bones or organ systems. Each patient's pain is unique. Therefore, each patient must have a treatment plan that addresses his or her individual needs.

The more you know about your cancer pain, the more you can help your caregivers plan the best treatment for you.

Causes of Cancer Pain

There are many causes of cancer pain. They include:

Pain from the tumor
Most cancer pain arises when a tumor presses on bone, nerves or body organs. The pain may vary according to location. For example, a small tumor located near a nerve or the spinal cord may be very painful, while a larger tumor elsewhere may not cause discomfort. But, pain does not always indicate tumor progression or recurrence.

Pain related to cancer therapy
Cancer treatment -- including chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery -- also can cause pain. Also, certain painful conditions are more likely to occur in patients with a suppressed immune system, which often results from these therapies.

Post-operative or post-op pain is acute (short-term) pain suffered as a result of surgery. Post-op pain is not unique to cancer patients; more than 25 million people suffer from it each year. Relieving post-op pain helps people recuperate from surgery more quickly and heal more effectively.

Other painful conditions
You may also have pain that has nothing to do with your illness or its treatment. Like everyone else, you can experience headaches, muscle strains and other aches and pains. Other conditions -- such as arthritis, kidney stones, a herniated disc in the back, and other non-cancerous conditions -- can cause pain, too. Pain from these conditions can be treated along with cancer pain.