A model for the treatment of cancer pain

Journal of Pain and Symptom ManagementPublished 1 January 1986Open access

Charles S. Cleeland, Armando J. Rotondi, Theresa Brechner, Allan B. Levin, Neil Macdonald, Russell K. Portenoy

DOI10.1016/s0885-3924(86)80043-4

Source URL

Citations36

SJR quartileQ1

SJR score1.21

SNIP1.42

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TL;DR

An expert (or consensual) panel method is used to propose how multiple therapies (analgesics, neuroablative procedures, and other non-drug therapies) might be combined in the management of patients with progressive pain.

Abstract

Abstract Previous suggested protocols for the management of cancer pain have focused solely on the use of systemic analgesics. Studies of other modalities of pain management have reported the effectiveness of single methods of therapy (such as nerve blocks or surgical ablation). In response to the increasing recognition that cancer pain may be difficult to manage with any single-modality therapy, we used an expert (or consensual) panel method to propose how multiple therapies (analgesics, neuroablative procedures, and other non-drug therapies) might be combined in the management of patients with progressive pain. The product of this method is a decision tree suggesting the steps at which to consider various combined therapies dependent upon response to prior treatment. The decision tree is expected to have utility as an educational tool as well as a basis for generating testable hypotheses about the effectiveness of combined therapies for future clinical research.

Keywords

MedicineNeuroscience

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