Cancer Pain Management in Adults: A Pharmacist's Perspective

Many patients with cancer will go on to develop significant pain. This article will focus on the assessment and the pharmacologic treatment of cancer pain in adults, along with patient education and safety from the viewpoint of the pharmacist. Treatment modalities not included in this review are radiation therapy and surgery (such as a cingulotomy). Extensive, comprehensive guidelines on all aspects of cancer pain management have been published and are available (see references). Cancer pain management is an interdisciplinary process because of its multifactorial nature; it should involve physicians, nurses, pharmacists, chaplains, social workers, physical therapists, and psychologists. Pharmacists play key roles in equalanalgesia calculations and transitioning patients from one opioid to another, making recommendations in therapy, developing safety mechanisms to protect patients from errors, and providing education to patients on medication.