Abstract:
Introduction: Cancer pain may be due to the disease itself or can result from the treatment,
including surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Although usually occurs relatively late in
the natural history of the disease, the most common symptom is pain in the cancer present in 30-
40% of patients at diagnosis from 40-70% to 70-90% at baseline and during phase terminals. The
prevalence of pain depends on the type of tumor, ranging from 52% in patients with lung cancers
and up to 5% in patients with leukemia.
Purpose and Objectives: The evaluation and appreciation of chronic pain in oncological pathology
Materials and methods: The study conducted on a group of 50 patients from October 2013
to January using the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI).
Results: The group studied consisted of women 44%, men 56%. BPI is a numerical scale of
0-10 assessing the degree of pain interference with the normal activities of the patient which it
applies, to which is added information on the gradation of the pain, the pain at the time of
examination. Starting from the order established after evaluation of maximum intensity of the pain
score 6-30%, followed by the score 8-15%, scores 9 and 10 - 10-12%. When assessing the
minimum level of pain intensity score of 2 to 23% and score 4 to 20 %, which ranks the most
frequently encountered in patients investigated. Usual level of pain intensity score highlights the
prevalence of 6 and 8 with 20%, followed by the score 5 to 18%, the other scores were determined
from a minimum of patients. Depending on the type of treatment: 79% were receiving
chemotherapy, chemo-radiotherapeutic treatment 5%, hormone therapy 2% and unspecified 14%.
According to the step by step antalgic treatment, elaborated by WHO: analgesic stage administered
-7% stage I, stage II- 23% and stage III - 70 %.
Conclusion: Analyzing all the features of chronic pain by using the BPI questionnaire in the
study of cancer patients, we determined that although in theory the current therapeutic methods and
applying rational (W HO principles) would allow excellent results in almost 95% of patients, but
cancer pain remains untreated satisfactory in many situations.
Description:
State University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Nicolae Testemitanu”, Department of Hematology, Oncology and Therapy Campaign, Discipline of Oncology, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova