DEFINITIONS OF SOME EXPRESSIONS YOUR DOCTOR MAY USE – TACKLING THE CAUSE OF PAIN DIRECTLY (SURGERY)
Surgery is a good way of tackling a few particular types of pain due to cancer. For example, pain due to a blockage of the bowel or kidney can sometimes be relieved by removing the responsible growth or bypassing the blockage. Pain due to a fracture through cancer in a bone, can often be most quickly relieved by putting a metal pin or plate in the bone. The bone is most likely to remain pain free if this surgery is followed up by radiation treatment.
Even chemotherapy is sometimes recommended for people who have painful cancer growths. The pain will be relieved only if the growth is shrunk, so consider this method of pain relief only if you have a type of cancer which is very likely to be sensitive to the chemotherapy.
If you do decide to seek pain relief by tackling the responsible cancer itself, you will still need painkillers in the meantime. The fact that your pain may be relieved by radiotherapy or surgery later doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be getting relief with painkillers right now. The following section is important for all of you with cancer pain — those who are having anti-cancer treatment as well as those who are not.
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