2018 Volume 25 Issue 2 Pages 63-68
Cancer-related pain occurs not only in the terminal stages of cancer, but is also associated with cancer treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Smoking temporarily relieves pain, but pain sensitivity increases in association with withdrawal symptoms. The patient has an urge to smoke when he/she feels pain, and the pain increases when the patient wants to smoke. In this situation, how can health care workers provide support to cancer patients who smoke? This paper reviews the relationship between smoking and pain, focusing on cancer-related pain, and discusses palliative smoking cessation support for cancer patients who smoke and are experiencing pain.