Incidence and characteristics of pain in a sample of hospitalized cancer patients

Abstract

Ninety-six randomly selected cancer patients were interviewed regarding their experiences with pain during this hospitalization. More than half of the patients had suffered from pain that was horrible or excruciating, yet only 43% of the patients could recall a nurse having discussed anything about their pain with them. Patients had employed a variety of techniques to modify the pain experience. Every intervention was effective for at least one-quarter of the patients. Many widely accepted pain relief measures were ineffective for a large number of patients. Standardization of pain assessment, individualization of treatment approach, and additional research are suggested to improve the care of cancer patients suffering from pain.