Effects of a pain consult and patient education and monitoring: a prospective study in oncology patients.

Patients with advanced cancer experience multiple symptoms. Among these symptoms pain is the most prevalent and feared: 15 – 77% of cancer patients experience pain. Although adequate pain treatment is now available for most patients, data have demonstrated that these methods are not used to their fullest, leading to inadequate pain relief in 42-65% patients. Pain management could be influenced by various factors, e.a. cause of pain, analgesics prescription, side effects and adherence. Physicians’ knowledge about pain, pain management and analgesics could affect patients pain, but patients’ misconceptions and beliefs could also influence the adequacy of pain management. To study which intervention would be most effective in reducing average pain intensity, patients will be randomised to:

1. standard care;

2. pain consult;

3. pain consult in combination with pain education.

It is hypothised that a pain consult at the specialized pain clinic in combination with Patient Education Program is more effective in reducing average pain intensity compared to a pain consult alone. A pain consult at the specialized pain clinic is more effective in reducing average pain intensity compared to standared care.

N/A

1. Second opinion pain consult at the specialist pain clinic;

2. Second opinion pain consult combined with Pain Education Program and monitoring by nurse specialists.