Cost Issues Surrounding the Treatment of Cancer Related Pain

Abstract

Pain is a common problem for the patient with cancer impacting overall quality of life. Pain is also a clinical problem with important health policy considerations. This paper overviews advances in cancer pain management from the cost perspective. A framework is provided for analyzing cost issues related to cancer pain. Ethical issues including the concepts of autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice are viewed from the perspective of cancer pain. Health policy issues for the future are also identified. The problem of cancer pain will continues as a major issue impacting patient comfort as well as the overall cost of cancer treatment. This will become a health policy for the nineties.