ConditionWidespread & complex
Cancer pain
Pain during and after cancer treatment is often under-treated, and it does not have to be. This work is done in step with your oncology and palliative teams, quickly, and with an emphasis on keeping you able to do the things that matter.
Also calledPain in cancerPain after cancer treatment
What it is
Pain caused by a tumour itself, by treatment such as surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy, or by the deconditioning that follows a long illness. Each has a different treatment, and people frequently have more than one at once.
What it feels like
- Deep, constant bone or abdominal pain
- Burning or tingling in hands and feet after chemotherapy
- Scar or nerve pain after surgery or radiotherapy
- Breakthrough pain that spikes through otherwise adequate control
How we assess it
A full pain assessment with a review of your current regimen and its side effects, in the context of your oncology plan. Communication back to your treating team happens the same week.
Treatment options
- Optimising the existing regimen — timing, route, and side-effect control
- Targeted nerve or plexus blocks, including coeliac plexus for upper abdominal pain
- Neuropathic medication for chemotherapy-induced nerve pain
- Intrathecal drug delivery in selected cases
- Rehabilitation and psychological support for pain after treatment ends
What recovery looks like
The goal is set with you: for some it is comfort, for others it is being able to travel, work or sleep through the night. Plans are reviewed frequently because the situation changes.
Risks and honest limits
Interventional options carry specific risks that depend on the site and on your general condition; these are discussed individually and always with your oncology team informed.
A note on this page
This is general information, written to help you prepare for a conversation. It is not a substitute for an individual assessment — what is right for you depends on your history, your examination and your own goals.
Common questions
Asked before, answered here
No. Pain management runs alongside it, and your oncology team is kept informed throughout.
Active cancer pain is expedited. Ask your team to call the practice directly.
—Begin
Have this assessed properly
Send a few lines about your pain and how long it has been going on. We will reply with a time and what to bring.
Visit
Level 2, 48 Macquarie StreetSydney, NSW 2000Response
Enquiries are answered within one to two business days. Urgent clinical matters are triaged the same day by the practice team.