Introduction This essay will aim to review the fundamental principles of cancer pain management in an acute medical ward in a hospital setting. My motivation for choosing to look into it is to deepen my knowledge of the chosen area. Within this work I will try to include physiological, psychological and sociological aspects of pain management. Pain, which is defined in its broadest sense as an emotion that is the opposite of pleasure (White, 2004, p.455), is one of the main symptoms of cancer, affecting most sufferers at some point. point of their condition (De Conno & Caraceni, 1996, p.8). The World Health Organization (WHO, 2009, online) suggests that pain relief can be achieved in more than 90% of patients; however, Fitzgibbon and Loeser (2010, p.190) highlight that pain can often be undertreated, even in the UK. Foley and Abernathy (2008, p.2759) identify numerous barriers to effective pain management, including professional barriers such as inadequate knowledge of pain mechanisms, assessment and management strategies. Physiology of Cancer Pain There are several different types of pain that can be suffered by an individual with cancer, with some patients suffering from only one type of pain, but others experiencing a range of all three types. Identifying the type of pain suffered is the first important step to ensure effective treatment, as not everyone responds to different treatments in the same way (De Conno & Caraceni, 1996, p.9). Somatic pain is when nociceptors in the skin or deep tissues are activated by noxious stimuli. This is usually characterized by a dull, aching, well-localized pain. This type of pain may be commonly experienced by individuals with metastatic bone pain or by those who h...... middle of paper ......newicht and Dunford (2004), physiotherapists, occupational therapists, doctors, nurses, specialists All pain teams and dietitians care for the patient at the same time. Effective treatment of cancer pain is essential to ensure the best outcomes for cancer patients, in terms of physical, psychological and social aspects. Although there are no NICE guidelines for the management of cancer pain, WHO guidelines should be used to inform clinical practice. Careful evaluation is a critical part of the process to ensure that patients are offered the treatment that is likely to offer the best outcomes, but without providing a greater than necessary risk of complications such as opioid tolerance and dependence. The main result that this article highlights is that “Pain is what the patient says it is and exists when he says it is” (McCaffery 1983 cited in Sofaer 1992 pp14).