Cancer pain management. State-of-the-art nursing care.

Cancer pain management is a dynamic field. Advances in basic science research have tremendous implications for the clinical management of cancer pain. New drugs and innovative methods of delivering old drugs have been developed. The challenge facing clinicians is to use the newer techniques systematically and appropriately once they have been adequately tested. Nurses play a particularly important role in helping patients with cancer pain to manage their pain experience in ways that are effective for the patients to meet their personal goals.