Guidelines on cancer pain management (2011 Edition)

Pain is one of the most common symptoms of cancer patients and causes serious disruption in patients’ quality of life. The incidence of cancer pain was approximately 25% among the newly diagnosed cancer patients but can reach 60-80% in the those with advanced diseases, of whom one third were with severe pain. Cancer pain, if not alleviated, can lead to extreme discomfort and cause or aggravate symptoms including anxiety, depression, fatigue, insomnia, and loss of appetite, posing serious impacts on patients’ daily activities, self-care, social interactions, and overall quality of life.