Reflecting on cancer pain as constant acute pain, not chronic pain. ‘Known knowns, known unknowns, unknown unknowns’ (3 April 2025)

Summary

Opioid-responsive cancer pain is a term used to describe cancer pain that can be effectively managed with opioid painkiller medications. This review aimed to explore a paradigm shift in the definition of opioid-responsive cancer pain. The authors argue that looking at the apparently unique properties of opioid-responsive cancer pain allows better understanding of the process by which acute (short term) pain may or may not transition into chronic (long term) pain.