Now divided into four parts, the second edition of Cancer Pain delivers broad coverage of the issues that arise in the management of malignancy-related pain, from basic science, through end of life care and associated ethical issues, to therapies, both medical and complementary. Part One reviews basis considerations in cancer pain management, including epidemiology, pharmacology, history-taking and patient evaluation and teamworking. Part Two brings together the drug therapies for cancer pain, their underlying basis, and potential side-effects. Part Three covers the non-drug therapies, including nerve blocks, stimulation-induced analgesia, radiotherapy, complementary therapies and psychological interventions. The control of symptoms other than pain, so critical to cancer patients, is also considered here. Part Four describes special situations. Cancer pain management in children and older patients, and in the community setting, and pain in the dying patient and the cancer survivor are all covered here.

Now divided into four parts, the second edition of Cancer Pain delivers broad coverage of the issues that arise in the management of malignancy-related pain, from basic science, through end of life care and associated ethical issues, to therapies, both medical and complementary. Part One reviews basis considerations in cancer pain management, including epidemiology, pharmacology, history-taking and patient evaluation and teamworking. Part Two brings together the drug therapies for cancer pain, their underlying basis, and potential side-effects. Part Three covers the non-drug therapies, including nerve blocks, stimulation-induced analgesia, radiotherapy, complementary therapies and psychological interventions. The control of symptoms other than pain, so critical to cancer patients, is also considered here. Part Four describes special situations. Cancer pain management in children and older patients, and in the community setting, and pain in the dying patient and the cancer survivor are all covered here.

The effective management of pain from cancer is a top priority for patients, carers and healthcare professionals, and has been the subject of extensive research. Approximately two-thirds of cancer patients will experience severe pain, and many of them will have more than one pain. However, because of the increasing number of available treatments for cancer, patients are surviving for longer periods, and are developing complex consequences of their cancer and its treatment, such as central and peripheral neuropathic pain syndromes. Approximately 8 - 10% of cancer pain remains unrelieved by conventional means.
Interventional cancer pain management implies the use of invasive techniques, such as neuraxial (epidural, intrathecal and intracerebroventricular) drug administration, brachial and lumbar plexus blocks, autonomic blockade, neurolytic blocks and cordotomy. It can also include TENS, acupuncture and complementary therapies. This book describes specifically the difficult pain problems that are now faced in palliative care and highlights the need for greater collaboration between the disciplines of pain medicine and palliative care. It refers to the psychological and spiritual needs of patients, and provides patient experience data on specialist techniques. The book is an invaluable resource for all healthcare professionals working in palliative care, pain management, and primary care to inform them about the range of interventional techniques available, with evidence of efficacy, side effects and management advice.