Treating Breakthrough Cancer Pain (NAPS)—More than 800,000 cancer patients in the U.S. suffer from a little-known and debilitat- ing condition called breakthrough cancer pain. Breakthrough cancer pain is a flare-up of pain, moderate to severe in intensity, which can last from 30 minutes to three hours. The pain can be sponta- neous and unprompted or brought on by an action as simple as swallowing, coughing or moving. This pain occurs even when thepatient is receiving medication at regular intervals for their persistent cancer pain. Although breakthrough cancer pain differs from person to person, most patients say that it comes on quickly, is intense, can begin in as little as 5 minutes and can last as long as three hours. Dueto its rapid onset and severity, breakthrough cancer pain can and does prohibit patients from taking an active role in their daily lives and reduces overall quality oflife. Breakthrough cancer pain usually is treated using strong pre- scription medicines, called opioids, the same type of medications used to treat persistent pain. Traditional treatments have involved immedi- ate release, potent medicines that were taken as needed with the goal of obtaining pain relief as quickly as possible. Research has shown Breakthrough cancer pain is a flare-up of moderate to severe pain, which can last from 30 minutes to three hours, that occurs even whena patientis receiving medication at regular intervals for persistent cancer pain. Uncontrolled pain can make youfeel: * Tired Depressed Angry Worried Lonely Overly stressed Uncontrolled pain can affect your life by interfering with: Daily activities Work and hobbies Sleep Appetite @ tired, depressed, angry, worried, andoverly stressed. A challenge to effective breakthrough cancer pain treatmentis a bias that exists on the part of patients to discuss and address cancer pain. Patients often mistakenly believe that pain management will distract the physician from treating the cancer itself, that asking for pain medication is an admission of weakness and that the side effects of potent pain relievers will be intolerable. These beliefs are not true. Breakthrough cancer pain is a that breakthrough cancerpain is serious issue in cancer treatment that requires particular attention medicines that work for brief periods andprovide patients with pain quality-of-life of patients. Thefirst best treated with “short-acting” relief quickly with limited and manageable side effects. If left untreated, breakthrough cancer pain can significantly impact a person’slife. People with cancer say that breakthrough pain limits their activities, interferes with their work and hobbies, and affects their sleep and appetite. They can also become from physicians and other healthcare professionals to improve the andbest step in proper pain man- agement is open communication between patients and their doc- tors. When breakthrough pain is treated, it helps a person feel stronger and able to better cope with their cancer. To learn more about cancer and breakthrough cancer pain visit www.cancer-pain.org.
