How much cancer pain do pain doctors see in their practice?

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scutdoc

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Hi, I'm just a med student. I'm interested in pain medicine as well as cancer patients. I'm wondering how much cancer pain do pain doctors tend to see in their practice? Does it constitute a lot or a little? Thanks in advance!

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Hi, I'm just a med student. I'm interested in pain medicine as well as cancer patients. I'm wondering how much cancer pain do pain doctors tend to see in their practice? Does it constitute a lot or a little? Thanks in advance!

In most cases little or none. >80% of opioids Rx'd chronically are for non-cancer pain. Oncologists & palliative care specialists usually see these folks.
 
Not enough here in seattle....the cancer pain patients here really suffer....oncology never refers out for interventional pain management.

As an example, i was send a lovely older guy with diffuse bony mets this week. Fent patch and dilaudid not giving relief, bad side effects.

Needs a pump. I called the seattle cancer care alliance "pain clinic." Its run by nurses and the "pain docs" are not really much involved and would not take my call. I wanted to ask the attending if they implant IT pumps. The nurse (only person who would speak to me) said they only put in IT pumps for "bed ridden" patients...wtf. So, ill get a pump in this guy by other means....
 
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its really a shame, but a lot of patients decide that opioids are all thats left, and they dont want to go to other doctors. enough time is spent getting chemo, seeing their oncologists, seeing rads, etc.

having to see a completely new and different doctor becomes onerous. as such, ive been taking over fewer and fewer opioids from the oncology service over the years.
 
5-10% of my practice is now cancer pain. I see 1 a day on average. Some procedures (RF/kypho/peripheral nerve denervation), lots of opiates. I also have no problem getting them some Ativan. Not so much for the noncancer folks. I get 2-6 months of care before they get too sick to come in and die or hospice takes over.
 
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