“Prevalence of Pain Syndromes in the Oncological Patient”

Abstract

Introduction: Pain is a common symptom in cancer patients, ranging from 24% to 86% depending on stage and type. It can be related to tumor cells, primary site, and metastases. This retrospective study aimed to identify painful syndromes, their etiology, and prescribed treatment, identifying complex pain syndromes difficult to treat and developing new pain management strategies for advanced cancer patients. Materials and Methods: A retrospective, observational, and descriptive study was conducted from August 1, 2020, to June 1, 2023. The review of patient records treated at the Pain Clinic was conducted, encompassing all the data routinely collected during each consultation. The SPSS 23 program was used to analyze the data. Results: Two hundrend and five patients who met the inclusion criteria were included. The most common oncological diagnosis was cervical cancer (29.8%); the study found that visceral pain syndrome (35.6%), somatic pain syndrome (33.2%), and mixed pain which was somatic and neuropatic (17.6%) are the most common algologic diagnostics. The average pain intensity for patients seen for the first time was 5.6 by ENA (n = 82) and the average pain intensity for subsecuent patients was 2.6 (n = 123). The most often prescribed treatment was weak opioids, with a 29.3% rate. Conclusion: The study population experienced visceral, mixed, and neuropathic pain syndromes due to cervical cancer diagnosis, with opioid therapy being the primary treatment, aligning with international pain management guidelines.