Cancer pain in palliative care: Assessment, monitoring, and the role of nursing

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death, following cardiovascular diseases. Despite significant advances in medicine, cancer incidence continues to rise, with the number of affected individuals having doubled over the past decades. Pain is the most common symptom experienced during the course of cancer. On average, approximately half of patients with cancer, at various stages of the disease, suffer from pain. According to the concept proposed by Cicely Saunders, founder of St Christopher’s Hospice in London, cancer pain is a multidimensional and overwhelming experience referred to as “total pain” which includes physical, psychological, social, and spiritual components. The aim of this study is to present the issue of pain in the course of cancer, to define appropriate nursing management strategies for the assessment and monitoring of this symptom, and to provide a descriptive analysis of current knowledge on pain and its treatment. This paper is based on a review of the relevant literature, including textbooks, scientific articles, and current legal regulations. It consists of three chapters addressing palliative care, the characteristics of cancer pain, and principles of nursing management in its assessment and control.