scholarly journals Cancer pain management needs and perspectives of patients from Chinese backgrounds: a systematic review of the Chinese and English literature

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 785-799 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiangfeng Xu ◽  
Tim Luckett ◽  
Alex Yueping Wang ◽  
Melanie Lovell ◽  
Jane L. Phillips

AbstractObjectiveMore than half of all cancer patients experience unrelieved pain. Culture can significantly affect patients’ cancer pain-related beliefs and behaviors. Little is known about cultural impact on Chinese cancer patients’ pain management. The objective of this review was to describe pain management experiences of cancer patients from Chinese backgrounds and to identify barriers affecting their pain management.MethodA systematic review was conducted adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Studies were included if they reported pain management experiences of adult cancer patients from Chinese backgrounds. Five databases were searched for peer-reviewed articles published in English or Chinese journals between1990 and 2015. The quality of included studies was assessed using Joanna Briggs Institution's appraisal tools.ResultsOf 3,904 identified records, 23 articles met criteria and provided primary data from 6,110 patients. Suboptimal analgesic use, delays in receiving treatment, reluctance to report pain, and/or poor adherence to prescribed analgesics contributed to the patients’ inadequate pain control. Patient-related barriers included fatalism, desire to be good, low pain control belief, pain endurance beliefs, and negative effect beliefs. Patients and family shared barriers about fear of addiction and concerns on analgesic side effects and disease progression. Health professional–related barriers were poor communication, ineffective management of pain, and analgesic side effects. Healthcare system–related barriers included limited access to analgesics and/or after hour pain services and lack of health insurance.Significance of resultsChinese cancer patients’ misconceptions regarding pain and analgesics may present as the main barriers to optimal pain relief. Findings of this review may inform health interventions to improve cancer pain management outcomes for patients from Chinese backgrounds. Future studies on patients’ nonpharmacology intervention-related experiences are required to inform multidisciplinary and biopsychosocial approaches for culturally appropriate pain management.

2021 ◽  
Vol 49 (11) ◽  
pp. 030006052110554
Author(s):  
Kuan-Ju Chen ◽  
Yu-Ting Tai ◽  
Elizabeth H Chang ◽  
Li-Na Kuo ◽  
Chun-Nan Kuo

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of the collaboration between oncology pharmacists and anaesthesiologists for improving pain control management in cancer patients. Methods This retrospective case–control pilot study enrolled inpatients with active cancer and a pain score of >3 at least once per day for 3 consecutive days. The study group was selected from June 2018 to January 2019. Patients with the same inclusion criteria were selected between November 2017 and May 2018 to serve as the comparison group. The primary outcome was the percentage of patients that experienced pain relief within 7 days from initial pain attack. Results A total of 71 and 77 patients were enrolled in the study and comparison groups. More patients in the study group experienced pain relief within 7 days from the index date (78.9% [56 of 71 patients] versus 72.7% [56 of 77 patients], respectively). The service increased the rate of intervention from attending physicians within 4 days from index date and quality of opioid management. Conclusion The collaboration between oncology pharmacists and anaesthesiologists for cancer pain management may be associated with an increase in the rate of pain relief in cancer patients with poor pain control.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Yinxia Wang ◽  
Ligang Xing

Radiotherapy is commonly used to treat cancer patients. Besides the curable effect, radiotherapy also could relieve the pain of cancer patients. However, cancer pain is gradually alleviated about two weeks after radiotherapy. In addition, cancer patients who receive radiotherapy may also suffer from pain flare or radiotherapy-induced side effects such as radiation esophagitis, enteritis, and mucositis. Pain control is reported to be inadequate during the whole course of radiotherapy (before, during, and after radiotherapy), and quality of life is seriously affected. Hence, radiotherapy is suggested to be combined with analgesic drugs in clinical guidelines. Previous studies have shown that radiotherapy combined with oxycodone hydrochloride can effectively alleviate cancer pain. In this review, we firstly presented the necessity of analgesia during the whole course of radiotherapy. We also sketched the role of oxycodone hydrochloride in radiotherapy of bone metastases and radiotherapy-induced oral mucositis. Finally, we concluded that oxycodone hydrochloride shows good efficacy and tolerance and could be used for pain management before, during, and after radiotherapy.


1998 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 349-373 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristi L. Lenz ◽  
Eileen M. Marley

Of the over one million patients diagnosed with cancer each year, 30 percent will have pain at diagnosis and up to 85 percent will have pain as their disease progresses. Adequate pain management continues to be hindered by multiple patient-and clinician-related barriers; however, with increased awareness and knowledge, the pharmacy practitioner can play a key role in facilitating pain management. This review will focus on the mechanisms of cancer pain, the role of non-opioids, opioids, and adjuvant agents in the treatment of cancer pain, and the basic principles of cancer pain management that allow 70 to 90 percent of patients to achieve excellent pain control.


2019 ◽  
pp. bmjspcare-2019-001871
Author(s):  
Sarah Barry Lincoln ◽  
Enrique Soto-Perez-de-Celis ◽  
Yanin Chavarri-Guerra ◽  
Alfredo Covarrubias-Gomez ◽  
Mariana Navarro ◽  
...  

BackgroundPain control is an essential component of high-quality palliative care. Unfortunately, many low-income and middle-income countries lack an appropriate infrastructure to provide palliative care and suffer from a severe lack of access to opioid analgesics to alleviate pain from various conditions such as cancer.ObjectivesWe aimed to review the history and current status of cancer pain management in Mexico, a middle-income Latin American country. Our objective was to identify existing barriers to proper, effective opioid use, as well as provide practical recommendations for improvement.MethodsUsing a search of EBSCOhost database, PubMed and Google, we found official documents and peer-reviewed articles related to health legislation, opioid consumption, palliative care infrastructure and palliative care training in Mexico.ResultsDespite advances in palliative care and access to opioids in Mexico, there are still several barriers that undermine effective pain management, showing a major gap between policy and practice. Although Mexican legislation and guidelines include adequate palliative care and pain control as a right for all patients with cancer, the lack of adequate infrastructure and trained personnel severely hampers the implementation of these policies. Additionally, there are important barriers to prescribing opioids, many of which are related to attempts at reducing the consumption of recreational drugs.ConclusionsAlthough Mexico has made significant improvements in pain control and palliative care, much needs to be done. Expansion of drug availability, improvement of palliative care training, and constant oversight of regulations and guidelines will help to strengthen Mexico’s palliative care services.


2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 336-345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoe Edwards ◽  
Lucy Ziegler ◽  
Cheryl Craigs ◽  
Alison Blenkinsopp ◽  
Michael I. Bennett

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document