Advanced Stages of Cancer Can Cause Significant Pain, Particularly Pancreatic Cancer
By: National Cancer Institute
July 27, 2018
Most patients with advanced stages of cancer can experience significant pain. This is particularly true for those with pancreatic cancer. Patients with early stages of cancer can experience low-levels of pain. In rare cases there may be no pain at all. However, pain will intensify as cancer stages progress and can significantly impact quality of remaining life.
Patients with poor prognosis , prompt pain control can make significant improvement in quality of life. Pain control and management of the patient may also spare loved-ones the feeling of despair and helplessness in relieving the pain of a patient. The goals of pain management of patients with cancer is to optimize the the comfort of the patient. Intolerance of pain may cause patients to discontinue live extension treatments.
Pain Control Booklet
Having cancer does not necessarily mean the patient will have significant pain, but pain typically does increase and the cancer progresses. This PDF booklet includes tips and suggestions about managing pain with pain control medicines and specified treatments.
PDF: Pain Control Booklet For People With Cancer Produced By The National Cancer Institute
The PDF booklet covers the following topics:
- Types and causes of certain cancer pain
- How to talk about your pain with your health care team
- How to make your pain control work for you
- Pain control medications and possible side effects
- Medicine tolerance is not addiction
- Other ways to control pain
- How having pain can affect thoughts and feelings
Cancer pain can almost always be relieved. Talk to you doctor and your health care team about any pain you are experiencing.