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Cancer pain
What's new
Updated 2024 ASCO guidelines on cannabinoids for cancer pain .
Background
Overview
Definition
Cancer pain is a common symptom associated with cancer and its treatment, and is defined as an unpleasant, multidimensional, sensory, and emotional experience related to actual or potential tissue damage.
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Pathophysiology
Cancer pain can be broadly divided into pain secondary to the cancer itself (spinal cord compression, bony metastases), pain due to chemotherapy (peripheral neuropathy, mucositis, stomatitis), pain due to radiation therapy (skin burns, mucositis) and pain associated with surgical treatment.
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Disease course
Cancer pain is associated with anxiety, poor QoL and performance, and increased morbidity in cancer patients.
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Prognosis and risk of recurrence
Severe pain in non-small cell lung cancer is associated with reduced survival (HR 1.39, 95% CI 1.02-1.87).
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Guidelines
Key sources
The following summarized guidelines for the evaluation and management of cancer pain are prepared by our editorial team based on guidelines from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO 2024,2022), the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP 2023), the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience (ASPN 2021), the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO 2021,2018), and the World Health Organization ...
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