Cancer pain: psychological management using hypnosis.

In the treatment of cancer, particularly when pain is a serious symptom, psychological support of a patient is important and can, in fact, facilitate ongoing oncologic treatment. Hypnosis represents a psychological technique of great potency for reducing pain, increasing patients' life-enhancing attitudes, and helping patients deal with death and separation. Ultimately, the value of hypnosis lies in enabling an individual to potentiate inner capacities for creating psychological quiescence and physical comfort. For a suffering cancer patient, relief that comes from within can provide a much-needed experience of personal efficacy and strength.