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August is Palliative Care and Cancer Pain Awareness Month

July 26, 2012 – The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) is making experts available during August -- designated “Palliative Care and Cancer Pain Awareness Month” by CINJ -- to discuss a comprehensive approach to improving the quality of life for cancer patients and their families.

CINJ is a Center of Excellence of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

Palliative care is a growing research area that involves the control of pain and other symptoms, and of psychological, social and spiritual approaches to improving patient comfort.

Such care was once thought to exist only as a means of providing comfort to those in the end stages of cancer (i.e., hospice care), but with more cancer patients living with and surviving the disease, there has been a focus on providing palliative care through all stages of the illness.

Palliative care teams can include a social worker, nurse, clergy member, dietitian and pharmacist, who will work with the patient’s doctor to manage pain and give emotional support.

Pain control is a major component of palliative care. At CINJ, one of the ways this form of care continues to be addressed is through the “CAMpain” initiative (The CINJ Alliance for the Management of pain).

In addition to traditional pain medications, both patients and their families are encouraged to explore other alternatives, such as massage or listening to music.

 Through the “CAMpain” initiative all healthcare providers are educated to provide staff, patients and their families the tools necessary to advocate for the patient through quality reporting and frequent screening.