Cancer Pain: The Numbers

Cancer is undoubtedly a burden on a global scale. The number of cases expected to increase to 24 million by 2035 (was 12 million in 2012).

In developed countries, the incidence of cancer pain is in up to 85% of patients. Even in developed countries cancer pain is insufficiently treated in up to 50% of patients. Imagine this same issue in developing countries where analgesic medication shortages are common place.

“...the need for palliative care is considerable. Of the 45 million deaths that occur in developing countries, approximately 60 percent, or 27 million per year require palliative care for diseases such as AIDS and cancer.

Patients plagued by painful symptoms of these diseases benefit from palliative care when other treatment options have been exhausted.

For instance, morphine, which is essential to this care, is inaccessible in more than 150 countries.” (Freedom from Pain documentary)

"The ESMO-led Global Opioid Policy Initiative is the first and largest study of its kind, conducted in 79 countries and 25 Indian States, representing more than 5 billion people, i.e. more than half of the world’s population.

In the regions covered by this survey there are about 8 million new cases of cancer each year and upwards of 5 million cancer deaths.

Of those who die from cancer approximately 70-90% will suffer from severe pain." (GOPI)

"Current estimates suggest that upward of 80% of the world’s population lacks access to basic pain relief [6]. Paradoxically, those 80% are mostly in poorer countries, and their need for pain relief is heightened by a relative absence of curative care such as surgery, or treatment for both communicable and non-communicable diseases causing pain (e.g., HIV/AIDS, cancer)."

"We determined per capita need of strong opioids for pain related to three important pain causes for 188 countries. These needs were extrapolated to the needs for all the various types of pain by using an adequacy level derived from the top 20 countries in the Human Development Index. By comparing with the actual consumption levels for relevant strong opioid analgesics, we were able to estimate the level of adequacy of opioid consumption for each country. Good access to pain management is rather the exception than the rule: 5.5 billion people (83% of the world’s population) live in countries with low to nonexistent access, 250 million (4%) have moderate access, and only 460 million people (7%) have adequate access. Insufficient data are available for 430 million (7%). The consumption of opioid analgesics is inadequate to provide sufficient pain relief around the world. Only the populations of some industrialized countries have good access." (DrugWarFacts.org)

“Unlike so many global health problems, pain treatment is not about money or a lack of drugs, since morphine costs pennies per dose and is easily made. The treatment of pain is complicated by many factors, including drug laws, bureaucratic rigidity and commercial disincentives.” (Freedom from Pain documentary)