European Nurse Society Calls to Action on Breakthrough Cancer Pain

BRUSSELS, October 7, 2010 - The European Oncology Nursing Society (EONS) launches first European
nurse initiative to examine current practices in Breakthrough Cancer Pain and
look at ways of improving patient outcomes in palliative care

The Breakthrough Cancer Pain Initiative is a nurse-driven initiative
launched with the purpose of improving breakthrough pain management for
cancer patients.

"Patient surveys have shown that breakthrough cancer pain is
under-recognised, sub-optimally treated and therefore subject of intense
patient discomfort. We believe that oncology nurses have an important role in
identifying and managing Breakthrough Cancer Pain and with this initiative we
hope to make oncology nurses across Europe realise that and bring their
skills into play," says Yvonne Wengstrom, Associated Prof. of Cancer Nursing
at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm and former president of EONS.

To drive the Breakthrough Cancer Pain Initiative, a European working
group of oncology nurses with a special interest in palliative care has been
formed. As a first step the working group has prepared a survey that will
look into the general understanding of Breakthrough Cancer Pain amongst
oncology nurses, confidence in treating these episodes, examples of best
practice as well as gaps in current practice.

A multidisciplinary advisory group of recognised international experts in
the field of Breakthrough Cancer Pain provides further expertise to the
development of the survey and provides insights on Breakthrough Cancer Pain
based on their knowledge within palliative care in general and Breakthrough
Cancer Pain in particular.

"The survey will provide valuable information about any knowledge gaps
and whether there is a need for further education. Based on this information
the second stage of this project will involve the Breakthrough Cancer Pain
Working Group considering what materials could be developed to best help the
nursing community to improve the outcome of Breakthrough Cancer Pain
management," says Jenske Geerling, oncology nurse at the University Medical
Center at Groningen, The Netherlands and member of the Breakthrough Cancer
Pain Working Group.

The survey, which is the first of its kind, will run over the next
couples of weeks in The Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Hungary, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden, The Netherlands, and The UK. The
countries have been carefully selected in order to provide a broad platform
for examining palliative care nursing practice across Europe.

"Assessment and management of breakthrough cancer pain depends on the
education and knowledge of the healthcare team, especially nurses, who work
closely with patients and their families. This survey should pinpoint the
needs and will lead to improvements in the management of breakthrough cancer
pain," says Associate Professor Sultan Kav, President of EONS.

The need for an initiative like this is recognised by the international
palliative care committee formed with the purpose of improving palliative
care for cancer patients:

"An initiative like this is very important. Supportive and palliative
care is far from fully integrated into medical oncology practice. Variations
in cancer pain intensity are highly prevalent, yet the phenomenon of
Breakthrough Cancer Pain is not well understood. Hopefully this initiative
will lead to a better understanding of these episodes and how they are best
managed to the benefit of cancer patients across Europe," says Dr. Nathan
Cherny, Chair of The Palliative Care Working Group (PCWG) under ESMO.

To learn more about the Breakthrough Cancer Pain Initiative, please
visit: www.cancernurse.eu/research/breakthroughcancerpain.html. The
initiative is supported with an educational grant by Nycomed International
GmbH.

About EONS

The European Oncology Nursing Society is a pan-European organisation
founded in 1984 and registered as an independent charity. Its activities aim
to promote a healthier future for people affected by cancer, ensuring that
they will benefit from the care of well educated, perceptive and proficient
cancer nurses. EONS represents the voice of more than 22.000 cancer nurses.
For more information, please visit: www.cancernurse.eu

Breakthrough Cancer Pain

A transient (episodic) exacerbation of pain that occurs either
spontaneously, or in relation to a specific predictable or unpredictable
trigger, despite relatively stable and adequately controlled background
pain(1).

References

1) Davies AN, Dickman A, Reid C, Stevens AM, Zeppetella G. The
management of cancer-related breakthrough pain: recommendations of a task
group of the Science Committee of the Association for Palliative Medicine
of Great Britain and Ireland. European Journal of Pain 2009; 13(4):
331-8.

    Contact details

    Yvonne Wengstrom
    Assoc. Prof. Cancer Nursing Karolinska Institute, Sweden
    Former president of EONS
    Phone: +46-8-524-83683

    Jenske Geerling
    UMCG, The Netherlands
    Phone: +31-50-3616161
    Email: j.i.geerling@int.umcg.nl

Contact details: Yvonne Wengstrom, Assoc. Prof. Cancer Nursing Karolinska Institute, Sweden, Former president of EONS, Phone: +46-8-524-83683; Jenske Geerling, UMCG, The Netherlands, Phone: +31-50-3616161, Email: j.i.geerling at int.umcg.nl