title: Cancer and chronic pain.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The effective management of cancer pain is one of the greatest challenges for GPs.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Pain management can be best achieved with a knowledge of the fundamentals of cancer pain and its assessment. A systematic and holistic approach to its treatment needs to be individualised for each patient, taking into account the relevant physical, psychological and spiritual factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GPs are part of a team including oncologists, palliative care specialists, nursing services, paramedical staff, counsellors and clergy and so should know about and make use of the ever-improving support services which are available to ensure that insoluble pain problems are a rare occurrence.
authors.affiliation: Monash University Department of Community Medicine.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hassed
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005194:Family Practice; D006694:Holistic Health; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010148:Intractable Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*