Pain Management

The prevalence of cancer is rising globally, and in most countries, the disease is presenting for treatment late as an incurable illness. Commonly, patients with solid tumors present as asymptomatic masses. Around 15% of patients with nonmetastatic cancer have pain. Pain is considered as an independent predictor of disease progression. With better understanding of pain pathophysiology and underlying nociception, a great promise for optimum pain therapeutics is fast evolving. The rapid development of the palliative concept the world over has enhanced awareness of the long underreported and undertreated problem. Patients now have better access to pain specialists in western countries, but many patients in developing countries in need of pain management do not have even easy access to oral opioids. Inadequately treated pain continues to be a huge burden on the patients, healthcare system and society at large.