Editorial |
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Misery of Cancer PainSadaf Mushtaq, Hamza Waheed, Ateeq ur Rehman Ghafoor, Khalid Bashir. Abstract | | | | Cancer is one of the major causes of mortality & morbidity, worldwide. Pain is the most debilitating and exhausting symptom of cancer. It also has deep & intense impact on patient’s quality of life. In advanced stages of cancer, the incidence of pain approaches up to 70–80%. Cancer pain can be effectively treated. Strong opioids are the mainstay in the WHO analgesic ladder, specifically for cancer pain patients. Unfortunately, in developing countries patients with cancer pain remains undertreated because of the unavailability of strong opioids. Such dynamics arise challenging situations for a pain physician while treating cancer pain. Despite with all the knowledge and skill, we fail to provide the effective pain relief because of such rigid barriers. This write up is an attempt to highlight the suffering of cancer pain patients and the frustration of a treating physician. There is a need to strengthen and upgrade our policies to provide comfort to cancer patients.
Key words: Cancer pain; Pain Management; WHO Guidelines; Opioids.
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