The neurophysiology of cancer pain is complex: it involves inflammatory, neuropathic, ischaemic and compression mechanisms at multiple sites. A knowledge of these mechanisms and the ability to decide whether a pain is nociceptive, neuropathic, visceral or a combination of all three will lead to best practice in pain management. People with cancer can report the presence of several different anatomical sites of pain, which may be caused by the cancer, by treatment of cancer, by general debility or by concurrent disorders. Accurate and meaningful assessment and reassessment of pain is essential and optimises pain relief. History, examination, psychosocial assessment and accurate.
