Breakthrough cancer pain

Most cancer patients will, from time to time, experience pain which is normally treated by pain medications. Pain which lasts for up to 12 hours a day is called persistent cancer pain, and this, too, can be treated, with stronger pain relievers.

However, from time to time, a patient will experience BTCP, or "Breakthrough cancer pain", in which the pain "breaks through" the normal doses of pain treatments. Such pain usually strikes without warning.