Pain and its treatment in hospitalized patients with metastatic cancer

The aim of this prospective study was to assess the quality of pain management hospitalized cancer patients. In a quantitative and qualitative evaluation from six oncology centers in Italy, all consecutive cancer patients complaining of pain and hospitalized during the same 2 weeks were requested to fill in a McGill pain questionnaire (MPQ), a present pain intensity scale (PPI), and a hospital anxiety and depression acale (HADS), and to answer a questionnaire focused (QF) on the quality of medical and nursing care. The healthcare provider's antalgic prescriptions were assessed by an index of pain management (IPM). Of 120 patients with pain admitted to oncology divisions (65 men and 52 women; mean age 57 years, range 21-79 years), 117 completed the questionnaires. The quantitative evaluation (PPI) showed a significant pain reduction between admission and discharge pain levels-from 2.65 to 1.50 ( p