Cancer-Related Pain
The treatment of cancer-related pain often starts with the oncologist. Many times pain can be well treated by the use of oral medications. When necessary, patients are sent to the pain center for further treatment of their pain.
The pain team at Penn Pain Medicine completes a comprehensive evaluation of the patient, and develops a treatment plan for the patient based on this evaluation. Therapy can involve the use of a variety of medications, block therapy and implantation therapy. In addition, treatment of cancer-related pain often includes the treatment of other symptoms, including shortness of breath, side effects from other medications and other symptoms.
Unfortunately, some patients with cancer do not recover from their cancer. In this case, treatment of pain and other symptoms are critical to giving the patient the best quality of life possible. Such therapy is called palliative care, and involves treatment by a team of specialists, which include the oncologist, the primary care physician, the pain physician, nurse practitioners and others.
The Penn Pain Medicine program provides inpatient-based palliative care through the SYMPAC program. Outpatient care is available through thePenn Pain Medicine Center.
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