Are interventional procedures necessary for most patients with cancer pain? No, there is good evidence to suggest that pharmacologic treatment coupled with appropriate multimodal, interdisciplinary therapy is effective for pain management in 95% of patients with cancer pain. Thus it appears that only 5% of cancer pain sufferers will require interventional procedures as part of …
What other therapies are available to treat pain from bone metastasis? Percutaneous image-guided cryoablation, radiofrequency ablation, and radioisotopes may be helpful in patients with unrelieved pain from vertebral and/or axial bone metastasis.
What is the role for radiation therapy in cancer pain? Palliative radiation is most useful for pain related to bone metastases. There is evidence that single fraction radiation is as effective as multiple fractions for relieving bone pain during the final 3 months of life. Bear in mind that other modalities, such as are those …
When are opioids prescribed for cancer pain? How do they work? Opioids are prescribed for cancer pain when other modalities (procedural, pharmacologic, and nonpharmacologic) fail to provide analgesia sufficient to allow achievement of realistic patient goals, including maintenance of function (activities of daily living) and overall quality of life. Opioids are pharmaceutical agents with morphine-like …
Who are the members of a palliative care interdisciplinary team? Palliative care interdisciplinary team (IDT) members include a medical director (palliative care physician), registered nurses, social workers, psychologists, pastoral care counselors, volunteer coordinators, and others who assist with formulating and delivering the plan of care to patients receiving palliative or hospice care. The IDT meets …
What is the role for palliative care in management of patients with cancer pain? Recognizing that approximately 70% of patients will experience severe pain some time during their illness, as well as the unfortunate fact that up to a quarter of cancer patients continue to die in severe pain, it is imperative that care embracing …
What complementary and alternative therapies are useful for cancer pain? Fifty percent to 83% of cancer patients report the use of at least one type of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) modality. CAM therapies include osteopathic manipulative treatment or other manual medicine technique (e.g., chiropractic, traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, naturopathy, and homeopathic medicine). Acupuncture, …