Continuing challenges in the management of cancer pain.
Four issues concerning the mechanisms of cancer pain are highlighted in this article. First is the need for a common language-a staging system-for assessing cancer pain. The author discusses the recently proposed Edmonton Staging System for Cancer Pain which classifies patients according to seven prognostic factors. The other issues addressed include: Optimal use of narcotic analgesics and adjuvant drugs; and intractable pain syndromes. All are areas of pain management where we are falling short.
Bruera
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Palliative Care Unit Edmonton General Hospital, Alberta.
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010148:Intractable Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid