Health Information
Cancer Pain
Cause
Cancer pain may be caused by the cancer or by the treatments and tests used. The kind of pain may vary depending on the cause. The first step in managing your pain is understanding what is causing it.
Pain from the cancer itself can happen when:
- A cancer growth, or tumor, presses on bones, nerves, or organs.
- Cancer cells spread to the bone and destroy it.
- A tumor presses on the spinal cord, causing pain in the back, legs, or neck.
- A tumor causes organs to swell or be blocked. For example, a bowel obstruction can be caused by a tumor.
Because some cancer spreads far and fast, treatments have to be strong. As a result, they often cause pain and other side effects that require more treatment. Pressure on or damage to a nerve may cause tingling or burning. Treatments such as surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy may also cause pain.
| By: | Reference Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: Reference October 22, 2012 |
| Medical Review: | Reference E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Reference Michael Seth Rabin, MD - Medical Oncology |
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