title: Breakthrough pain: a qualitative study involving patients with advanced cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Breakthrough cancer pain is associated with a high burden of physical, psychological and social problems in quantitative studies. Individual experiences of living with breakthrough pain have not been studied.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to explore the individual experience of living with breakthrough cancer pain using a qualitative methodology.
  
  
  METHODS
  In depth semi-structured interviews were conducted in ten patients with breakthrough cancer pain, and a qualitative content analysis was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overarching themes that emerged were daily living, communication with health care professionals and management of breakthrough pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recognising the impact of breakthrough pain and the issues expressed by patients regarding communication and medication gives the clinician a framework for assessment and intervention.
authors.affiliation: Royal Marsden NHS Hospitals Trust, London and Surrey, London, UK. k.webber@imperial.ac.uk
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Webber
authors.forename: Andrew N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: Martin R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Cowie
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D059390:Breakthrough Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D059408:Pain Management; D010166:Palliative Care; D006113:United Kingdom