Cancer pain is one of the most common and burdensome symptoms, affecting up to 45 % of patients with cancer. Despite the availability of treatment guidelines, more than 40 % still receive inadequate management. To address this gap, the EU-funded MyPath project has developed a structured Pain Care Pathway (PCP), now presented in the new article published on the Jounal of Pain and Symptom Management.
The pathway was designed by an international team of experts between 2022 and 2024 and defines five key domains for systematic pain assessment: etiology, location, intensity, flares, and treatment response, including relief and side effects. Aligned with ICD-11 pain classification, this structure ensures a standardized, evidence-based approach across clinical settings.
The digital PCP integrates patient-reported outcomes with clinical data, enabling real-time monitoring and tailored interventions. By embedding pain assessment into routine practice, the pathway aims to improve quality of life, reduce complications, and support more efficient healthcare delivery.
The Pain Care Pathway is one of several pathways developed within MyPath, an EU-funded project focused on developing digital tools to support patient-centred cancer care.