The 12th edition of the Asia-Pacific Hospices Congress is the perfect occasion to include a workshop on
cancer pain and palliative cares. The Fondazione Internazionale Menarini did not loose such appetizing
occasion. In fact, with the help of a very well known international Faculty is proposing a WS whose title
reminds the potential audience of the border line between Cancer Pain and Palliative Care. This border has
changed during the last few years, and the hospice is becoming the place where to care for the suffering
people that cannot be cured at home, in his/her terminal part of life. The approach at the moment is
quite different than the one perceived in the past, when the Hospice was a place to avoid, not just for the
patients but also for the relatives.
This behavioral revolution is the effect of the cultural promotion of the best cares for the cancer pain, and
for the patients with cancer, in general. It has been enough to open the discussion on topics that were
previously forbidden. Now we are more acquainted with the different aspects and all the necessities of
those patients. Hence we are more ready, at international level, to accept the concepts of the terminal care.
Part of this cultural revolution has been the consequence of a better knowledge of the physiopathology
of the disease named cancer, and all its consequences, but also of the availability of new drugs. All the
topic will be discussed by a team of experts that will start discussing why the patient with cancer has an
extremely high prevalence and incidence of pain. Immediately after, many other clinical problems will be
presented. Between others, in the last few years one of the aspects that has received the attention of the
scientists is the breakthrough cancer pain (BTcP). Part of the WS will be dedicated to this aspect.
Any Oncologist and Pain Doctor, but also the General Practitioners, should know better this difficult part
of Pain Medicine. This is the reason why all of us should applaude to the generosity of the Menarini
International Foundation, which has shown great sensibility to accept the proposal to organize a dedicated
WS to this important topic. In fact, this is not only important for the better cure of the cancer pain patients,
but for their better care in general.
Prof. Giustino Varrassi
Responsible for the Scientific Programme