The evaluation of the effectiveness of palliative pain management in cancer patients with visual analogue scale

Introduction: The most common and most important symptom in the palliative care patients is severe pain as defined "more terrible than death". In our study, we aimed to determine the effectiveness of palliative pain treatment in cancer patients with pain. Methods: Files of all patients hospitalized in Palliative Care and Support Services for Cancer Patients at Izmir Katip Celebi University Atatürk Research and Training Hospital between 29.07.2013 – 01.02.2016 has been investigated retrospectively. Patients (n=112) with recorded pain scores according to the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) from 704 patients has been included in the study. Age, gender, diagnosis, VAS scores during hospitalization and discharge of patients included in the study, used analgesic drugs and number of days in treatment have been investigated retrospectively. Results: 57.1% (n=64) of the patients were male and the mean age was 59.8 ± 14.5 years. Considering diagnoses; colorectal cancer in 15.2%, breast cancer in 14.3%, lung cancer in 13.4% and stomach cancer in 11.6% was observed. The patients were inpatient treatment the mean 13.0 ± 11.5 days. The mean VAS pain scores of the patients recorded during hospitalization was 5.2 ± 2.6 and the mean of these values at discharge was 2.2 ± 1.8. In the pain treatment of the patients; using tramadole in 82, fentanyl in 36, acetaminophen in 28 and morphine in 18 was observed. Conclusion: A significant reduction in pain scores of the patients in our study were identified with an effective analgesic treatment. Obstacles to the treatment of pain; the doctors who are lack of information about pain treatment, fears about drug addiction, the patients who hide their symptoms and ignoring to symptom control as can be listed. Symptom management is important in palliative care units and quality of life should be kept at a high level.