Pain is one of the most common symptoms and often, a side effect of cancer treatment. It not only affects the cancer patient physically but also impacts the emotional well-being and overall quality of life. Whether the root cause of pain is the disease itself or various cancer treatments, pain can vary in intensity and duration. Advances in medical care have considerably mitigated cancer pain through the use of a combination of medications, supportive therapies, and integrative approaches. These multiple options help the cancer patient regain control and improve daily functioning.
Ways to manage Cancer Pain
1. Medications: NSAIDS (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are a class of drugs that have anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, and analgesic properties. They may be used alone or as an add-on with opioids. Although these drugs help with inflammation, they are not recommended for persons undergoing chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or certain clinical trials as these affect platelet function and may mask fever. The reason for this being that patients on these specific treatments are more susceptible to infections and bleeding episodes, if platelet count falls.
2. Medical procedures: There are certain medical procedures such as peripheral nerve stimulators (PNS), and radiofrequency ablation that block pain signals.
• Peripheral Nerve Stimulators (PNS): Cancer surgery may cause pain in the peripheral nerves that send signals to the brain which interprets it as pain. By using PNS, these signals are blocked. A stimulator is nothing but a small electrode which is placed on the peripheral nerve.
• Radiofrequency ablation: Radio waves are sent that heat a section of the nerve responsible for sending pain signals to the brain.
3. Interventions: These interventions can be used at any point of the disease treatment but are most frequently utilized when patients have inadequate pain control with systemic analgesics. There are two types of interventions that are commonly utilized for pain management:
• Epidural/Intrathecal analgesics: This method allows usage of multiple classes of drugs at a time, including those that are not available in oral form. However, it is not recommended to be used in patients who have a risk of bleeding or infections. The epidural analgesics use pumps to deliver pain medication to the spinal fluid using an implant.
• Nerve blocks: These work by injecting medication close to a nerve or group of nerves. This treatment method is mostly used to treat pain in the back, legs, arms, neck, and face.
4. Integrative therapies: Although these are unconventional methods of pain management, integrative therapies are often sought after by patients who want to try non-pharmacologic ways of pain management or use it in addition to medications.
• Acupuncture: Studies show that around 31% of cancer patients use acupuncture to treat pain and there are on-going research studies to prove its potential risks and benefits on an individual level.
• Mindfulness: Mindfulness techniques can be used as an adjuvant to pharmacologic options of pain control. It gives the patient flexibility of when and where to engage in this practice.
Cancer pain management is a vital part of improving the overall quality of life of cancer patients. From using pharmacologic options, to advanced interventions and therapies, pain can be significantly controlled and even reduced in most cases. Having an open communication with your healthcare provider will give you a proactive approach to adjusting to treatments as the need arises. By combining medical expertise with compassionate support, patients can achieve better comfort, maintain dignity, and live life fully, despite having cancer.