Breakthrough Pain in Patients with Cancer
What is breakthrough pain?
Breakthrough pain is a transitory flare of moderate-to-severe pain in patients with otherwise controlled persistent pain.
How is breakthrough pain related to chronic pain?
- Chronic pain associated with cancer often has two components:
- Persistent pain – pain that is continuous throughout the day that is often managed with around-the-clock opioid medication.
- Breakthrough pain – flares of pain commonly characterized by their rapid onset, intensity, and relatively short duration that occur in the context of controlled persistent pain.
How common is breakthrough pain in patients with cancer?
Up to 51- 89 percent of patients treated for persistent cancer pain with opioid therapy experience the transitory flares of breakthrough pain.
What are the characteristics of breakthrough pain in patients with cancer?
- Onset is rapid, reaching maximum intensity in as little as three minutes.
- Intensity is moderate-to-severe.
- Average duration is 30 minutes.
- Average number of episodes is four per day; however, variability among individual patients can be significant.
Are resources and tools available?
Resources and tools are available to help patients discuss their cancer-related breakthrough pain with their healthcare professionals. Visit the links below for more information: