Worry that calling attention to the pain may distract the clinician from, treating their cancer. “Patients want their doctor to be completely focused on curing them and don’t want to do or say anything that might get them off track,” says Larry Driver, MD, professor and vice-chair, Department of Pain Medicine, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.?FACT: Treating your pain is an integral part of symptom management and quality cancer care. Pain can often interfere with sleep and your ability to fight disease.

Effective treatment is not only good medicine, it also saves costs. Research shows that medical costs for individuals with breakthrough cancer pain are five times higher than for patients with cancer who don’t have BTCP.?

Bottom line: If you suffer with pain, don’t ignore it. Tell your cancer team about the pain and how it is impacting your day-to-day life. Proper pain management can help you get your life back and feel more in control of your health and well being and shouldn’t be ignored.