Becoming an advocate for cancer pain management.

Management of cancer pain is still a significant problem in healthcare today despite the fact that cancer pain can be controlled in approximately 90% of patients. Emotional, psychosocial, and spiritual suffering associated with the disease complicates the problem. Guidelines issued by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality address management of cancer pain. Pain intensity scales, complementary and alternative methods, and the role of the interdisciplinary care team, as well as the need to provide spiritual support to the patient and family, are included in the discussion.