What is Cancer-Related Pain?
Cancer-related pain may be caused by the disease itself or by treatments such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Everyone experiences pain differently – it can vary in location, intensity, and how it affects daily life.
Not all cancers or treatments will cause pain. Around 30% of patients with cancer report moderate to severe pain during their treatment [1]. This figure rises to around 55% for those with advanced cancer.
Cancer-Related Pain and Medical Cannabis: The Facts
50%
of individuals diagnosed with cancer report experiencing cancer-related pain [2]
89%
of GPs support randomised controlled trials of medical cannabis for multiple conditions, including cancer-related pain [3]
What Causes Cancer-Related Pain?
Cancer-related pain develops for different reasons, depending on where the cancer is in the body and how it’s treated.
Pain from the cancer itself often happens when a tumour presses on nearby nerves, bones, or organs, or when it releases chemicals that irritate or inflame tissues.
Cancer treatments can also cause pain. Radiotherapy, which uses high-energy radiation to destroy cancer cells, may lead to temporary side effects such as skin soreness, inflammation, or stiffness in treated areas. Chemotherapy, which uses anti-cancer (cytotoxic) drugs to destroy rapidly dividing cells, can sometimes cause nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy), mouth ulcers, or muscle and joint pain.
Types of Cancer-Related Pain
Cancer pain can take several forms, depending on what’s causing it.
Nerve pain: This can occur when a tumour presses on nerves or causes nerve damage, or as a side effect of certain treatments such as chemotherapy. It’s often described as burning, tingling, or shooting pain.
Bone pain: When cancer spreads to the bones (bone metastases), it can cause pain that feels deep, aching, or tender. Bone pain is often more persistent and severe than muscle pain.
Soft-tissue pain: Also called visceral pain, this is pain that comes from internal organs or muscles. It’s usually felt as a deep ache, cramp, or pressure, depending on which part of the body is affected.
Treatment Options for Cancer-Related Pain
Cancer pain is usually managed with a combination of medicines and supportive therapies such as physiotherapy or psychological therapies.
Treatment may involve non-opioid painkillers, opioids for moderate to severe pain, and adjuvant medicines for specific types of pain, such as nerve pain. Depending on the cause, some patients may also benefit from targeted approaches such as radiotherapy for bone pain, nerve blocks, or other specialist interventions.
People living with cancer are often in regular contact with healthcare professionals, but it’s still important to tell your doctor if your pain changes or becomes harder to manage, even if you’re already taking pain relief. Keeping your medical team informed helps them adjust your treatment plan and explore options that may better support your comfort and wellbeing.
Medical cannabis may be considered for cancer-related pain when standard treatments haven’t provided enough relief or have caused difficult side effects. It is not a routine first-line option in the UK, but specialist doctors may consider medical cannabis as part of a wider treatment plan, following a thorough assessment.
How does Cancer-Related Pain Affect People?
Cancer-related pain affects people in different ways. Some individuals may experience little or no pain, while others may have ongoing or severe discomfort that impacts daily activities, sleep, or overall quality of life.
Curaleaf Clinic are committed to sharing the stories of real patients and their experiences with medical cannabis treatment. Head to our patient testimonial page to find out more.
Research on Medical Cannabis and Cancer-Related Pain
Chronic pain is the most common reason for prescribing medical cannabis globally, and much of the available research focuses on this group. Cancer-related pain forms part of this wider evidence base, although specific studies remain limited.
Real-world data from our UK Medical Cannabis Registry has examined the experiences of patients prescribed medical cannabis for cancer-related pain. The observational study reported changes in areas such as pain and discomfort, and symptoms commonly associated with cancer pain, including sleep disturbance, anxiety, and low mood.
Safety reporting from the registry shows that the most common side effects of medical cannabis among patients with cancer-related pain were fatigue and lethargy, similar to patterns seen in other patient groups using medical cannabis.
Clinical trial evidence remains mixed. A review published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) looked at clinical trials involving medical cannabis and cannabinoids for cancer-related and chronic pain. It found that medical cannabis may lead to small improvements in pain and sleep for some patients, but the evidence remains limited and mixed, highlighting the need for further trials.
Can I be Prescribed Medical Cannabis for Cancer-Related Pain?
Medical cannabis may be considered for cancer-related pain when other treatments haven’t provided enough relief or have caused difficult side effects. NHS access for this purpose is very limited, so most patients who use medical cannabis for cancer-related pain do so through private clinics. In the UK, only specialist doctors on the GMC’s Specialist Register can start a patient on medical cannabis.
If you’re exploring whether medical cannabis is suitable for you, you can complete an initial eligibility assessment with Curaleaf Clinic. A clinician will review your health and specialist records and, if appropriate, invite you to meet with a consultant experienced in complex pain to determine whether medical cannabis may be an appropriate part of your care plan.
References
[2] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7367076/
[3] Online and telephone research conducted by PCP Market Research between 3rd and 15th May 2023. Total sample 150 GPs in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland