HEALING CHRONIC CANCER PAIN - CONTRIBUTIO NS OF PSYCHOLOGY

Pychologically-based procedures to control chronic pain, in general, a nd cancer pain, in particular, are seldomly reported in the medical li terature. Research data on pain control using psychological techniques challenge the unidimensional sensory-physiological approach to pain. Although biomedical treatment of cancer pain can be effective, they ar e not free of limitations and side effects. In contrast, psychological approaches to chronic cancer pain are noninvasive, and have proven to be highly effective tools for interdisciplinary teams treating cancer pain. Additionally, a two-fold role of cognitive variables has been r ecognized: a) as responsible of maintaining and exacerbating chronic p ain, and b) as mechanisms associated to the efficacy of biofeedback-ba sed treatment.