title: Pain management in palliative care--an update.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pain is a common and feared problem for those with advanced cancer. The goal of palliative care is to relieve suffering and improve quality of life. A step-by-step approach allows good symptom management and minimisation of drug side effects.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This article aims to improve the general practitioner's confidence in prescribing in the palliative care setting and to encourage early involvement of community palliative care teams.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Opioid initiation and substitution, and the role of other medications and nondrug therapies in controlling cancer pain are discussed.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, and Palliative Care Unit, Hollywood Private Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. auretk@cyllene.uwa.edu.au
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Auret
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pickstock
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001315:Australia; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010166:Palliative Care
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid