Patients with cancer can have pain from the tumor itself or as a side effect of treatment.
- Cancer pain can be directly related to tissue damage from tumors that destroy or press on tissues, bones, and nerves or block hollow structures such as parts of the digestive system, blood vessels, and lymph vessels.
- Pain can also result from cancer treatment, most typically after surgery but sometimes after chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or radiation therapy.
- Muscle aches can develop from physical inactivity that sometimes occurs during or after treatment.
Pain can also occur completely independent of cancer or its treatment, as when anyone has headache, backache, arthritis, or other common pains.
