OBJECTIVE: Advanced cancer pain is associated with pain in two-thirds of patients impairing quality of life. Poor control is often attributed to poor assessment and classification. This study aimed to determine current pain assessment and management for solid tumors in a private tertiary hospital in Davao City.
METHODS: The study utilized a retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study wherein 298 charts with diagnoses of solid tumor were included.
RESULTS: Clinical outcomes of this study include that 28% and 32% died and did not improve due to these solid tumors. This data therefore reflect that 60% of these patients, when combined, may have have advanced diseases. Of these, 19% experienced moderate to severe pain either as a chief complaint or as part of the medical history and review of systems, while 78% have no record or evidence of pain assessment. Only nine percent received opioid therapy while 13%  were given non-opioids. Approximately six percent of these patients' pain responses were monitored or followed-up by medical service versus none of the nursery service after initiation of pharmacotherapy.
CONCLUSION: The present study showed a very big gap as far as pain assessment and management are concerned. These deficiencies may be attributed to non-adherence to the WHO guidelines for pain which includes inadequate pain assessment, recording, management and monitoring. Information dissemination regarding pain assessment and management is of paramount importance as to giving optimal pain management in cancer patients experiencing pain.