Expectations of pain and accompanying symptoms during cancer treatment.

Patients' experience of cancer pain varies throughout the course of the disease. It is important to recognize that patients may experience more than one type of pain, and pain often occurs in the presence of other symptoms. Controlling pain requires a multi-faceted approach to assessing and treating the underlying mechanisms. This article reviews the pain mechanisms responsible for pain during cancer treatment and how expectations of pain and associated symptoms contribute to the pain experience.