Cancer Pain

UT Southwestern Medical Center’s Cancer Pain Program provides advanced therapies and compassionate care for patients with acute, chronic, and breakthrough pain caused by cancer.

Our cancer pain specialists understand the physical debilitation and emotional stress that chronic pain causes and are sensitive to our patients’ needs.

Evaluation and Treatments

After a comprehensive evaluation by a team of medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, psychologists, and anesthesiologists who specialize in pain management, a UT Southwestern cancer pain specialist thoroughly explains your treatment options. 

Depending on the specific type of pain, our specialists may prescribe steroidal or nonsteroidal medication, physical therapy, exercise programs, pool therapy, intrathecal injection, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), or an appropriate minimally invasive treatment.

The program offers advanced minimally invasive therapies available such as:

Epidural injections

Medication is delivered into the epidural space in the spine, relieving pain

Selective nerve root blocks

An anti-inflammatory medication is injected to the affected nerve root, which provides significant pain relief

Sympathetic nerve root blocks

Anesthetic agents are injected around the affected sympathetic nerves to provide pain relief and assess damage to the sympathetic nervous system

UT Southwestern’s comprehensive medical resources enable patients to have an initial consultation, testing, follow-up visits, and any needed medical procedures all in one location.