Industrial countries experience a significant increase of
cancer prevalence. Despite recent advances in the treatment of various types of
cancer still most of the patients cannot be cured. Especially the advanced incurable stages of
cancer, however, often are accompanied by severe
pain. Therefore, the high demand for a sufficient
pain management and symptom control seems obvious. Throughout the last decades new drugs and techniques for the management of
cancer pain have been developed. Most
cancer patients should experience sufficient
pain-management if existing recommendations for the pharmacological treatment of
cancer pain (e.g. WHO-guidelines) are followed consequently. If, nevertheless,
intractable pain or ongoing disabling symptoms continue despite proper
therapy, every doctor should feel himself obliged to consult an expert in palliative medicine, in order not to tolerate avoidable suffering of his patient.