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Palliative cancer care - pain - Management
How should I investigate pain in palliative care?
- Consider investigations that are appropriate to the person's condition.
- Limit investigations to those likely to significantly affect treatment decisions.
- If the person is near the end of life, investigations are rarely indicated. They may be performed if a reversible condition may be the cause of their deterioration, or if the person has acute (potentially reversible) deterioration.
- If investigations are appropriate, ensure that the person's pain is adequately treated before they undergo diagnostic procedures. For more information on how to prescribe for incident pain (such as pain on movement), see Management of breakthrough pain.
In depth
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