Studies show that more than one-third of people living with cancer experience moderate to severe pain. This pain can result from either the cancer itself or its treatment—and often from both. According to a large study conducted by the American Cancer Society, pain was among the three symptoms that most significantly impacted patients' quality of life.
In patients with advanced cancer, pain may result from tumor mass, bone, muscle, or nerve invasion. It can also occur as a consequence of cancer treatment. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and hormone therapy can lead to both acute and chronic pain.
The problem of pain isn't limited to those undergoing active treatment. Patients in remission can also experience chronic pain as a consequence of cancer therapy. This pain impairs quality of life, limits daily functioning, and, for some patients, can even impact adherence to treatment recommendations.
Therefore, effective pain management should be an important element of oncological care at every stage.
What does integrative medicine offer?
Pain in cancer patients is complex. It may be related to the tumor, anticancer treatment, or other comorbidities. It can be neuropathic, musculoskeletal, inflammatory, acute, or chronic. Therefore, pain management requires an interdisciplinary approach and should include both pharmacological and nonpharmacological methods.
In this context, integrative medicine is increasingly being discussed. It doesn't mean abandoning conventional treatment, but rather combining standard pain management methods—such as medications, radiotherapy, procedures, blockades, and physiotherapy—with selected supportive methods proven to be safe and effective.
The Society for Integrative Oncology and the American Society of Clinical Oncology convened an expert panel that, based on a review of 227 studies, developed guidelines for integrative pain management in adult cancer patients.
Ktaboutwhich methods have the best evidence?
According to the SIO–ASCO guidelines, in adult cancer patients:
Acupuncture should be offered to breast cancer patients experiencing joint pain associated with aromatase inhibitor use. This is one of the recommendations with stronger support among integrative methods.
Acupuncture, reflexology or acupressure may be considered in patients with general cancer pain or musculoskeletal pain.
Clinical hypnosis may be helpful for people experiencing pain related to medical procedures, such as diagnostic tests or surgeries.
Massage may be considered for patients experiencing pain during palliative or hospice care.
Other methods analyzed include yoga, hatha yoga, mindfulness practices, guided visualization combined with progressive muscle relaxation, and music therapy. However, the quality of evidence for these methods is usually lower, and the recommendations are weaker. These can be helpful as a supportive measure—particularly in reducing tension, stress, anxiety, and improving sleep—but they should not be considered a standalone treatment for cancer pain.
Cannabis and cannabinoid-containing products are also relatively frequently considered in the context of oncological pain. However, the scientific data regarding the effectiveness of cannabis for cancer pain is inconclusive. Some studies indicate that there may be weak evidence for its use when standard pain treatments have failed. Slightly better data exists for neuropathic and cancer pain, but the wide variety of products, THC-to-CBD ratios, doses, and routes of administration complicates interpretation of results.
Patients also frequently ask about herbs, dietary supplements, and essential oils. However, it's worth emphasizing that for most of these methods, the evidence regarding their effectiveness in treating cancer pain is weak, preliminary, or inconclusive. They can play a supportive role—improving well-being, promoting relaxation, reducing tension and stress, and thus indirectly contributing to improved pain tolerance. However, they should not be considered a standalone treatment for cancer pain.
The most important thing: safety and individual approach
Effective cancer pain management should be tailored to the individual, taking into account the cause of pain, the stage of the disease, the current treatment, comorbidities, and patient preferences. In this context, an integrative approach can be a valuable element of cancer care, combining conventional methods with safe, supportive non-pharmacological interventions.
Sources:
Integrative Medicine for Pain Management in Oncology: Society for Integrative Oncology–ASCO Guideline
https://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/JCO.22.01357
Cannabis Use in Patients With Cancer: A Clinical Review
https://uniquetherapeutics.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/worster-et-al-2022-cannabis-use-in-patients-with-cancer-a-clinical-review.pdf
American Pain Society
www.americanpainsociety.org
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Author: Joanna Niewolik
