Pancreatic cancer-related pain: mechanism and management

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer related pain (PCRP) gains widespread attention for its high prevalence, extreme complexity, poor prognosis and decreased survival rate. Current treatment of PCRP remains unsatisfactory, since the underlying mechanism is not clear. The occurrence of PCRP is mainly related to the neurotropic nature of pancreatic cancer, and perineural invasion, neural remodeling and plasticity play important roles. Upon the understanding of PCRP mechanism, the management of PCRP is a multidisciplinary and multifaceted strategy. Traditional pain medications, invasive or intervention treatment, psychological support, integrative therapy and palliative care are all the potential aspects for the management of PCRP.