Managing side effects

Cancer pain

Trustworthy information about pain for people with cancer, their families and friends

Overview

Cancer pain is a broad term for the unpleasant physical feeling some people experience when they have cancer. Damage to the body sends nerve signals to the brain, which creates the feeling of pain.

Many things can affect the way you feel pain. These may include the type of cancer, its stage, the treatment you are having, other health issues, and your attitudes and beliefs about pain.

Cancer pain can affect your wellbeing, but it can be managed with medicines, treatments and therapies. You can call Cancer Connect on 13 11 20 to talk it through with our qualified professionals.

Cancer pain booklet (PDF)

About this information

The information on this website is not medical, legal or financial advice. Always consult appropriate professionals about your specific situation. Full disclaimer.

Reviewers

This information has been developed by Cancer Council NSW on behalf of all other state and territory Cancer Councils as part of a National Cancer Information Subcommittee Initiative.

All updated content has been clinically reviewed by:

Professor Paul Glare, Chair of Pain Medicine, Northern Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, NSW; and Dr Tim Hucker, Pain Specialist, Northern Beaches Hospital, Director, Northern Beaches Pain Management, NSW. This edition is based on the previous edition, which was reviewed by the following panel: Dr Tim Hucker (see above); Dr Keiron Bradley, Palliative Care Consultant, Bethesda Health Care, WA; A/Prof Anne Burke, Co-Director Psychology, Central Adelaide Local Health Network, President, Australian Pain Society, Statewide Chronic Pain Clinical Network, SA, School of Psychology, The University of Adelaide, SA; Tumelo Dube, Accredited Pain Physiotherapist, Michael J Cousins Pain Management and Research Centre, Royal North Shore Hospital, NSW; Prof Paul Glare (see above); Andrew Greig, Consumer; Annette Lindley, Consumer; Prof Melanie Lovell, Palliative Care Specialist HammondCare, Sydney Medical School and The University of Technology Sydney, NSW; Caitriona Nienaber, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council WA; Melanie Proper, Pain Management Specialist Nurse Practitioner, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, QLD; Dr Alison White, Palliative Medicine Specialist and Director of Hospice and Palliative Care Services, St John of God Health Care, WA.

We would like to thank all the health professionals, consumers and editorial teams who have worked on current and previous editions.

View our editorial policy.

Understanding Cancer Pain

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What's in this booklet

About cancer pain

Learn what cancer pain is, what causes it, and the differences between acute, chronic and other types of pain. Your health care team will help you manage pain.

Describing pain

Find out how to describe your pain to your health care team. This can include using a pain scale and keeping a pain diary.

Using pain medicines

Learn about the medicines that control pain (analgesics), which type of analgesic is suited to mild or severe pain, and tips on using your medicines safely.

Managing pain with medicines

Find out about reducing pain with medicines, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), opioids and medicinal cannabis, and possible side effects.

Managing pain with other methods

Surgery, radiation therapy and other cancer treatments can help reduce pain. Therapies such as physiotherapy and counselling can also play an important role.

Pain after treatment

After cancer treatment, some people will have ongoing pain for months or years. This is called chronic pain. Learn how a pain management plan can help.

Pain and advanced cancer

Managing pain for advanced cancer is an important part of palliative care. Learn how medicines, treatments and therapies can help.

Caring for someone in pain

Find important tips and advice for carers, such as how to safely handle opioids and when to contact the medical team.

Questions to ask your doctor

It can be a good idea to prepare a list of questions before your appointments. See our list of questions about cancer pain.

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