Cancer pain may be due to tumor growth or nerve damage. It can result from operations or other invasive procedures. The side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy or infection can be painful.
Pain relief is called analgesia.
In most patients, cancer pain can be controlled easily, and all of us should expect good pain control as part of our care. When pain is severe, strong pain-relieving drugs such as narcotics are often used. Regular therapy, rather than giving drugs only when they're needed, may provide better control of pain. This results in a lower total daily dose of the drug. By simply pressing a button on a pre-programmed device, you can control the drug dose to meet your needs.