Why Is Cancer Painful?

Kathleen M. Foley, M.D., Attending Neurologist, Pain and Palliative Care Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
January 2, 2008

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Question: Why Is Cancer Painful?

Dr. Kathleen M. Foley answers the question: 'Why is cancer painful?'

Answer: About one third of cancer patients in active therapy and about two thirds of patients with advanced disease have significant pain, and the major reason why cancer is painful is that it invades tissues, like bone, or soft tissue like muscle, and compresses the nerves and produces pain in that way.

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