Alerting your doctor immediately about any pain you are having makes treatment more effective. Cancer-Related Pain Pain caused by the actual cancer generally falls into two categories. Nociceptive pain is caused by damage to tissue. It is usually described as sharp, aching, or throbbing pain. It is often due to cancer that is growing larger, cancer that has spread to the bones, muscles or joints, or a blockage of an organ or blood vessels.
Neuropathic pain happens when there is actual nerve damage.
It may be caused by a tumor pressing on a nerve or a group of nerves. People sometimes describe this pain as a burning or heavy sensation, or numbness. One goal of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy is to lessen and control pain caused by tumors by removing or reducing the size of the tumor, thus removing the source of the problem. Pain medications are also used to control pain caused by cancer. Sometimes the solution for treating your cancer might cause discomfort.