Fighting against Pain

Abstract

As we have seen, significant and heartening advances in the treatment of pain have been made in recent decades. But, with the knowledge that has been accumulated, much more could be done than is being done at present. One very active and successful group is the World Health Organization’s expert committee on cancer pain. However, the WHO’s 1990 report (74), after describing the work of this group in encouraging terms, adds a section headed “Obstacles to Implementation.” It is worth quoting in full:

The greatest improvement in quality of life for cancer patients and their families could be effected by implementation of existing knowledge of pain and symptom control. In a number of countries, the situation has improved considerably over the past 20 years for reasons that include:

• the development of palliative care centers;

• a greater understanding of the use of analgesic drugs;

• demands from patients and families for better symptom control;

• a consensus that adequate symptom control and a good quality of life are particularly important in patients with advanced disease.