Onkológia 5/2025
Chronic cancer pain and the basic principles of its optimal diagnosis and treatment
Cancer-related pain is a condition experienced by individuals with oncological diseases, influencing treatment adherence and significantly affecting their psychological well-being and quality of life. Some oncological patients experience a profound fear of intense pain from the moment of cancer diagnosis, throughout active therapy, and into the post-treatment phase. Recurrent cancer-related pain, which reemerges following a period of remission, is frequently perceived by patients as an indication of disease progression. This review article provides a comprehensive overview of cancer-related pain from an algesiological standpoint, detailing its epidemiology, fundamental diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for management, the concept of total pain, pathophysiological mechanisms (such as central sensitization and neuroplasticity), psychological factors, and obstacles to effective pain treatment. It underscores the importance of multidimensional pain evaluation, advocates for a multimodal and interdisciplinary treatment approach, and highlights the necessity of systematic monitoring of treatment outcomes.
Keywords: cancer, cancer pain, pain management, multimodal therapy, interdisciplinary care
