What is the relative efficacy of current adjuvant (nonpharmacological/noninvasive) physical or psychological (e.g., relaxation, massage, heat and cold, music, and exercise) treatments in the management of cancer-related pain?
The number of studies is small, and variability as to types of intervention precludes any broad conclusions. Studies evaluated different interventions applied to patients, medical staff, and the community at large. Also, different types of pain seemed to be addressed, although specifics were not always provided. Only a few randomized studies examine hypnosis in conjunction with cognitive behavioral techniques in the context of acute procedure-related pain and oral mucositis pain after bone marrow transplant. They include studies in the pediatric and adult age groups. Hypnosis seems to help with both procedural and mucositis-related pain. Cognitive behavioral treatments may also be helpful. More studies are needed, with larger numbers of patients and with control groups. 6. What is the relative efficacy of current invasive surgical and nonsurgical treatments, such as acupuncture, nerve blocks, and neuroablation, for the treatment of cancer-related pain? The evidence available to answer
