Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics, 2025, Vol.13, No.6, 265-274 http://medscipublisher.com/index.php/cge 266 management, whether patients are willing to accept them, their safety level, and the required resource conditions, etc. This study aims to clarify the role of non-pharmaceutical strategies in overall cancer pain management and point out the directions that can be further explored in future research and clinical practice. 2 The Mechanism and Evaluation of Cancer Pain 2.1 Types and characteristics of cancer-related pain The pain caused by cancer has many different manifestations. Approximately 60% to 80% of patients will experience pain during their illness, with varying degrees, durations and causes (Snijders et al., 2023). The most common types of pain include body pain (such as somatic pain and visceral pain), neuralgia (caused by nerve damage or compression), and mixed pain. These types often occur simultaneously in the same patient (Moisieienko et al., 2022). Body pain is generally manifested as persistent soreness or intermittent throbbing pain, which is related to injury to body tissues. Neuralgia is more like a burning, pricking or electric shock-like sensation, which is because the nerve itself has been damaged. In addition, pain can also be classified based on the time characteristics of its occurrence, such as persistent pain, occasional pain, or sudden severe pain. The last situation refers to the situation where even if the pain is well controlled in daily life, there may sometimes be a brief aggravation (Ortega et al., 2024). The diverse manifestations of pain also indicate that cancer pain is very complex. Pain may be related to the location of the tumor (such as bone, internal organ, soft tissue or nerve damage), anti-cancer treatment (such as nerve problems caused by chemotherapy, postoperative pain), or other physical diseases (Ortega et al., 2024). For instance, bone metastases often cause deep and persistent pain, while tumor invasion around nerves may lead to severe and refractory neuralgia (Shi et al., 2023). Professional institutions such as the International Association for Pain Research (IASP) have developed classification criteria to unify the nomenclature, facilitate communication among doctors, and distinguish whether the pain is directly caused by the tumor, the pain brought by treatment, or the pain caused by other reasons (Nijs et al., 2023). Figuring out exactly what kind of pain it is is very important for choosing an effective treatment method subsequently. 2.2 Pathophysiological mechanisms of cancer pain The physiological mechanism of cancer pain is very complex and involves multiple links in the peripheral and central parts of the body. Tumor growth can directly damage tissues and nerves, causing the release of inflammatory substances, growth factors and neuroactive substances, making pain receptors more sensitive and thereby promoting pain signal transmission (Haroun et al., 2023). For instance, in bone cancer pain, the bone destruction and local inflammatory environment caused by the tumor activate and sensitize peripheral sensory nerves, and the interaction between cancer cells, immune cells and nerves further enhances pain signals (Yang et al., 2023). Chemotherapy and radiotherapy may also cause nerve damage, resulting in neuropathic pain, which is characterized by abnormal sensory processing and the pain may persist after the injury ends (Santoni et al., 2022; Shi et al., 2023). Central sensitization, neuroinflammation, and adverse neural changes in the spinal cord and brain can also cause persistent and aggravated cancer pain. The local environment around the tumor accumulates a large number of immune cells, cytokines and growth factors, which have important influences in regulating pain and promoting tumor development (Santoni et al., 2022; Haroun et al., 2023). The latest research has also revealed some new mechanisms. For instance, perineural infiltration and macrophages with neuronal characteristics may be involved, enhancing the effect of tumors on nerves and further intensifying pain (Tang et al., 2022; Shi et al., 2023). Understanding these different mechanisms can help develop more targeted non-opioid analgesic methods, thereby more effectively controlling the pain conditions of cancer patients. 2.3 Common methods and standards for evaluating pain intensity and therapeutic effect Accurate assessment of cancer pain is the foundation for effective pain relief and related research. At present, the most commonly used tools for assessing pain intensity are one-dimensional scales, including Numerical Scale (NRS), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and Verbal Scale (VRS). These tools enable patients to score the degree of
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