Psychosocial interventions can have a positive effect on the severity of cancer patients’ pain, according to a recent analysis by researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center. Furthermore, certain psychosocial interventions can reduce the extent to which cancer pain and its treatment disrupts patients’ lives. The study was published in a recent online issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
“Pain is one of the most common, burdensome and feared symptoms experienced by patients with cancer,” said Paul B. Jacobsen, PhD, associate center director for Moffitt’s Division of Population Science. “Our study looked at randomized, controlled studies of psychosocial interventions for pain published between 1966 and 2010 in which pain was measured as an outcome in adults with cancer, or in adults undergoing procedures to diagnose cancer.”
In the examination of past pain intervention studies, data on pain severity and data on how pain may interfere with daily life were investigated separately. The researchers point out that pain was measured inconsistently across the studies, and not all surveyed studies measured pain as a primary outcome.
Upon analysis of 37 past studies, researchers found that the most helpful psychosocial, nonpharmacological pain interventions were either skill-based interventions or educational approaches. Interventions centered on changing the ways in which patients interpret pain are skill-based. Educational approaches included instruction on how to better use medications or helping patients successfully communicate with healthcare providers regarding pain.
According to researchers, among the controlled studies examined, psychosocial interventions worked well in decreasing pain across patient demographics. “In short, we found that psychosocial interventions, including skills instruction and education can improve cancer pain management,” concluded Jacobsen.
Source: Moffitt Cancer Center.
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