Abstract
Pain is one of the most common and distressing elements of suffering
related to cancer and cancer treatment. Progress in cancer treatment
means people will live longer with the sequelae of cancer and
disease-directed treatments, and both the short- and long-term effects
of opioid use must be considered. Skilled practitioners caring for
individuals with cancer help to alleviate cancer-related pain by using
the World Health Organization (WHO) step-wise approach to pain
management as well as recently updated national and international
guidelines. Current guidelines go beyond the unidimensional WHO
model by addressing comprehensive assessment, pharmacological
management of opioids and adverse effects associated with opioid use,
the role of adjuvants, and the application of non-pharmacological
treatments. By following current guidelines promoting a multifaceted
approach to the management of cancer-related pain and advocating for
patient-centered care, nurses are uniquely positioned to champion
effective cancer pain management.
Key words: Adjuvants l Cancer l Guidelines