American Pain Foundation New Report
Good Samaritan Hospice Helps Raise Awareness of Needless Suffering from Cancer Pain
A new report highlights breakthrough cancer pain to reduce widespread undertreatment of this problem. Although millions of Americans now live long after their cancer treatment ends, the cancer experience frequently leaves a high-cost legacy of pain for individuals, families and the health care system. The severe flares of breakthrough cancer pain—often unrecognized and untreated as a distinct problem—disrupt lives and increase medical needs.
The American Pain Foundation (APF)—with the support of Good Samaritan Hospice and 11 other nationally recognized organizations on the front lines of cancer care—announces Breakthrough Cancer Pain: Mending the Break in the Continuum of Care. This 24-page report gives health professionals, the public and policymakers important information about what breakthrough cancer pain is, why it’s often undertreated and what can be done to improve pain management.
“According to surveys, breakthrough cancer pain is the number one challenge of having cancer, yet people are suffering needlessly from inadequate treatment,” says Will Rowe, APF’s Chief Executive Officer. “This report is a starting place for a national discussion that can jump-start progress in the way we manage cancer pain.”
Breakthrough Cancer Pain: Mending the Break in the Continuum of Care summarizes a meeting convened by APF about this devastating type of cancer pain. The report offers suggestions about what health care consumers, providers and others can do to manage cancer pain better—beginning with simply talking about it and understanding that pain can almost always be controlled. It also gives health care providers a road map for improving care.
“Good Samaritan Hospice is pleased to join forces with the American Pain Foundation to help raise awareness about widespread under treatment of breakthrough cancer pain,” says Don Bivins, MD, Good Samaritan Hospice’s Medical Director. “It’s going to take a collaborative effort to make sure people with cancer pain get treatment that allows them to take care of their families and remain active in their communities.”
Access more information at www.painfoundation.org. Click here to download report.
We urge you to share this information with others to increase awareness of the needless suffering caused by breakthrough cancer pain and help ensure that people who have had cancer get the pain treatment they need and deserve.
This project was made possible by support from Meda Pharmaceuticals.