What is Cancer Pain

CANCER PAIN Meaning

Cancer happens when abnormal cells in the body experience an uncontrolled growth.¹ Normally, your body forms new cells as and when you need them, replacing the old cells that eventually die. Sometimes this process may go wrong. New cells grow even when you don't need them, and the old or worn out cells don't die when they should. These unwanted rapidly dividing cells can form a mass called a tumor, which is the sign of cancer.²

Cancer can sometimes also cause pain. This pain comes from the cancer itself, or from the treatments for cancer. Treating cancer pain should be part of the overall treatment for cancer.³

Cancer pain can be chronic or acute. Acute pain is caused due to damage caused by some injury and lasts for a short time. For example, having an operation can cause acute pain. The pain gradually stops when the wound heals, while painkillers help keep pain under control.⁴

Chronic pain is pain caused due to nerve changes. Nerve changes may occur due to cancer pressing on nerves or due to pain causing chemicals produced by a tumour. It can also be caused by nerve changes due to cancer treatment. The pain continues long after the wound is healed or treatment is over and can range from mild to severe. It can be felt all the time and is also called persistent pain. Chronic pain may be difficult to treat, but painkillers or other pain control methods are often used to control it.⁴

Ayurvedic texts Charak and Sushruta Samhita have described cancer as a Granthi (lumps/tumor) or Arbuda (major tumor) which can be stated as reddened & painful or non-reddened or non-painful swellings.⁵

When there is involvement of one or two Doshas i.e., either Vata, Pitta, or Kapha, they produce benign tumour (tumour that does not spread) which is not harmful whereas when there is Sannipatja i.e., involvement of all three Doshas it produces cancerous tumor which is dangerous.⁵