An estimated 76 million people now living will develop cancer, with pain being a significant feature for many (1). Over two thirds of patients with advanced cancer, including those admitted to hospice programs, will have cancer-related pain. Fortunately, most patients can achieve satisfactory pain relief (2) and improvement in their quality of life with easily applied therapies. Recent studies, however, reveal a gap between potential and actual pain relief in clinical practice with more than half of cancer patients in a variety of settings experiencing moderate to severe pain. The National Hospice Study, completed 15 years ago, provided information ranging from analgesic usage in different hospice settings to
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