Predictors of pain pattern and differences by pain intensity and pain quality in outpatients with cancer

Abstract

Pain pattern is important for appropriate timing of pain interventions, but researchers have studied less the temporal aspects of cancer pain than pain intensity, and quality parameters. In outpatients with cancer, we examined differences in pain intensity and quality by pain patterns and the predictors of pain patterns. We studied 762 cancer patients (60% male, mean age 56+13 yr, 80% Caucasian) who completed a 0 to 10 pain intensity scale and the McGill Pain Questionnaire for number of pain sites, quality and patterns (P1 to P7).