RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: The care of cancer patients whose pain is difficult to assess is examined. METHODS: Cancer patients who received a consultation because pain assessment by our palliative care team between September 2008 and November 2010 proved difficult, were evaluated retrospectively. RESULTS: The corresponding cases were five cases(5. 6% of all cases who received consultation). The cause of the difficulty in the assessment of pain was due to dementia in two cases, mental retardation in one case, the patient's personality in another case, and the patient's believing in a third case. Useful observable items have been pointed out for difficult pain evaluation are of the patient, including expression and behavior. And the importance of chose consideration of the causes of difficult assessment of pain have also been pointed out. CONCLUSION: Careful care according to the cause of the difficult assessment of pain and individual communication ability proved important.
