Chronic pain in cancer survivors improved after learning pain self-management techniques in an Australian pain clinic

Abstract

Dear Editor,

Introduction Chronic pain is prevalent among cancer survivors, affecting more than 30% and interfering with function in half.1 Unhelpful thoughts and beliefs like pain catastrophizing and low pain self-efficacy predict for high-impact chronic pain and are modifiable with psychological therapies.2 However, less than 5% of cases in pain clinics have cancer pain.3,4 Access is mainly limited to clinical trials.5

Cancer survivors do well when they participate alongside other patients in group pain self-management programs (PSMP) at our interdisciplinary Pain Management Center in Sydney, Australia. The aim of this Research Letter is to report the outcomes of 23 consecutive cancer survivors who participated in these programs.