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Managing Pain in the Older Cancer Patient

  • Palliative Medicine (A Jatoi, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

This paper aims to give the specialist and non-specialist alike an overview of the considerations involved in the management of cancer-related pain in the older population.

Recent Findings

Comprehensive guidelines on cancer pain management have been published recently by expert bodies. Cancer pain differs in many respects to other pain conditions and we are likely to encounter it more frequently in older patients in the future. The elderly are more sensitive to the effects of many analgesic medications.

Summary

The elderly patient with cancer pain presents a unique challenge to the treating physician. The biological effects of ageing impact on the efficacy of many pain management strategies as well as its diagnosis and assessment. Treatment options can be broadly divided into pharmacological, non-pharmacological and interventional. A multidisciplinary approach and frequent re-assessment are essential in achieving favourable outcomes in this patient group.

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  1. Department of Anaesthesia, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Level 4, Whitty Building, Eccles Street, Dublin, D07 R2WY, Ireland

    Dylan Finnerty, Áine O’Gara & Donal J. Buggy

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  1. Dylan Finnerty
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Finnerty, D., O’Gara, Á. & Buggy, D.J. Managing Pain in the Older Cancer Patient. Curr Oncol Rep 21, 100 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11912-019-0854-7

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