Adult Cancer Pain, Version 2.2025, NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines In Oncology
Robert A. Swarm, Jeanie Youngwerth, Julia L. Agne, Magdalena Anițescu, Madhuri Are, Sorin Buga, Taylor Butler, Marcin Chwistek, James F. Cleary, David Copenhaver, Christopher Coyne, David S. Craig, Heidi D. Finnes, Heather Greenlee, Mona Gupta, Eric Hansen, Saba Javed, Enas Kandil, Sean Mackey, Andrew J. McDonald, Kathryn McGrath, Natalie Moryl, Suzanne Nesbit, Michael Noonan, Joseph Norris, Judith A. Paice, Elizabeth Pršić, Michael W. Rabow, Elizabeth Rickerson, Jill E. Sindt, Michael Smith, Kevin E. Vorenkamp, Justine Y. Bruce, Sun Mi Yoo, Rebecca Cunningham, Lisa A. Gurski, Frankie Jones
Abstract
The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines) for Adult Cancer Pain provide recommendations for the comprehensive management of pain in patients with cancer. This article will focus on methods for screening for pain, safe and appropriate prescription of opioid and miscellaneous analgesics, and the optimization of nonpharmacologic interventions including integrative and interventional strategies for treatment of cancer-related pain. Additionally, the NCCN Guidelines discuss methods for the safe reduction of opioids when appropriate, as well as techniques for encouraging the judicious use of opioids. The complete version of the NCCN Guidelines for Adult Cancer Pain addresses additional issues that are not covered here, including management of pain during a pain crisis, management of procedure-related pain and anxiety, pain management for cancer survivors, and the use of nonopioid and adjuvant analgesics for cancer-related pain.