Cancer pain, a pending

Many Americans think oncologists are good at handling the pain of their patients. However, the majority is wrong when choosing the best treatment option and recognizes that the level of pain experienced by people they serve is still a major barrier to proper care .

So says a survey of about 600 oncologists by the Beth Israel Medical Center, New York (USA), whose results are published in the specialized Journal of Clinical Oncology and shows a lack of training these physicians for pain management and therefore calls for more efforts to form this group.

According to the author of this work Brenda Breuer, "these data suggest that, for over 20 years, the focus of cancer pain has not adequately addressed the perception of treatment barriers or limitations in knowledge about pain and practice within the cancer community. "

Poll

Oncologists who responded to this survey belonged to global centers to cancer hospitals and administration. On average, physicians rated their own ability to manage pain at 7 on a scale of 0 to 10. However, other oncologists said they were generally more conservative in their treatment. Thus, rated their training in pain management as good. The survey also suggested two scenarios devised by the authors of the study, a patient in pain, despite receiving a relatively high dose of opioids, including morphine.

These oncologists were asked if they increase the dose, change the medication or add a new drug. The correct answer, according to specialists in pain, including fast-acting drugs added to the original scheme or make small increases in daily dose of the drug. However, the majority dismissed the correct answer , 60% in the first stage and 87% in the other issue, which required the physician to explain why an increase in opioid dose could be dangerous.

Physicians, generally agree that opioids would be the first choice of treatment for chronic pain of cancer and that its best use is to administer regular doses and only when the patient needs it. They say that the refusal to recognize that patients feel pain and to take strong pain medications is a barrier to provide them proper care .