Key Issues In Clinical Oncology

In the clinical oncology field, there are “hot” problems that are being encountered such as, inadequate management of pain for cancer patients in pain, and management of pain is an important aspect in the care of cancer patients. There is also an inadequacy in pain assessment and pain management which can contribute as an important barrier to cancer pain control, knowledge deficits in cancer pain management among medical professionals is also a problem which can result in unmanaged pain for the patients, which can be identified as a major obstacle in the care of oncology patients in pain. Pain is one of the most frequent and disturbing symptoms of cancer. Severe undertreated pain can significantly affect the patient’s quality of life and may in turn affect the patients will to live or cooperate with treatment (Wessman & McDonald, 2009).
Pain is often inadequately treated in patients with cancer. It is the most persistent and unbearable symptom of cancer. Pain, even when treated, is often severe enough to impair the patient’s ability to function, and nurses and patients both agree that pain is often poorly managed. Despite the implementation of the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, under treatment of cancer pain is still present in various clinical settings.
Patients often hinder their own treatment due to misconceptions about analgesics and their side-effects, non-adherence to treatment regimens, and poor communication of their pain and their concerns about pain to nurses and other health care providers. Identifying factors that affect the learning and clinical application of pain management knowledge may suggest ways to tailor pain management education for even more effective use by nurses (Lucentrforte & Maggini,