About one-third of patients being treated for cancer have pain, and each patient’s pain is unique. Therefore, each patient’s pain management plan must be carefully designed. At M. D. Anderson, we consider pain the fifth vital sign and review our patients’ pain management needs as often as we take their pulse or temperature. We work to find the best combination of pain-controlling treatments so that our patients can experience the best possible quality of life. We hope you'll find the resources on this page helpful in alleviating your -- or your loved one's -- cancer pain.

• What is Cancer Pain?
• How is Cancer Pain Treated?
• What Can You Do to Help Control Your Pain?
• Pain Medications & Side Effects
• Non-Drug Treatments for Cancer Pain Relief

The Palliative Care and Rehabilitation Medicine department provides consultation and care of patients experiencing pain and other symptoms due to advanced cancer.

The Section of Cancer Pain Management provides consultation and care of patients experiencing pain related to their particular cancer. Pain Help Line: (713) 745-7246

The Department of Symptom Research is a group of health care professionals dedicated to improving the assessment and treatment of the symptoms experienced by cancer patients through research and education.

The Postoperative Pain Section uses the latest in epidural and intravenous patient-controlled analgesia techniques for patients experiencing pain after surgery.

Patient Power: Pain & the Cancer Patient (37:43)
About one-third of patients being treated for cancer experience pain, and each patient’s pain is unique. M. D. Anderson’s experts carefully design each patient’s pain management plan. (April 1, 2008)
Download  / Listen  /  Transcript (pdf)

Pain Definitions - Understand the terminology your specialists use.

Common Concerns About Pain Treatment - Answers to the most common pain management concerns.

Cancer Pain Treatment Guidelines - Select "Symptom Control and Palliative Care", then "Cancer Pain".

Cancer Pain Treatment is Complex

Assessing Symptom Burden in Cancer

Learn the Facts About Acute Pain Management

How to Deal with Pain (Español)

Relieving Symptoms with Acupuncture

Cancer Pain Control in the New Millennium (Español)

Experts Recommend Treating Cancer Pain in the Context of Other Symptoms

More...

NOTE: Pages will open in a new browser window. M. D. Anderson does not endorse external sites.

American Academy of Pain Medicine

Alliance of State Pain Initiatives

American Chronic Pain Association

American Pain Foundation

National Cancer Institute

NCCN Patient Guidelines (Español)