Caring for a patient with cancer is best done using a team approach. The primary care doctor is the leader. He usually refers the patients to a surgeon, oncologist, and radiotherapist for the special care the patient might require. This is also true of pain management.

This module introduced the concepts of pain management. The treating doctor is going to be the primary care doctor in most cases. In order to achieve the best care for the cancer patient with pain, the primary care doctor may find it useful to consult with the pain management physician or to refer the patient for evaluation and suggestions.

Just as the patient benefits from the oncologist's knowledge and use of chemotherapeutic protocols, so the patient can benefit from the pain management physician's knowledge of pain assessment and pain control algorithms.