Types of pancreatic cancer pain

Background pain

Background pain is ongoing pain that you can manage with regular pain relief. If it isn’t fully controlled, you may have pain shortly before your next dose of pain relief is due. If this happens, you may need a different dose or type of pain relief.

Breakthrough pain

Sometimes, you might get short bursts of severe pain that come on quickly and last for a few minutes or a few hours. This is called breakthrough pain, as it “breaks through” your regular pain relief.

Treatment for breakthrough pain includes some fast acting (immediate release) opioid painkillers. If you are getting a lot of breakthrough pain, you may need a different dose or type of pain relief.

Incident pain

Incident pain is similar to breakthrough pain but it is caused by an activity, like moving around. If you know what is likely to cause pain, you may be able to prevent it by taking fast acting (immediate release) painkillers 20 to 30 minutes before doing that activity, or by changing the activity.

Nerve (neuropathic) pain

Many people with pancreatic cancer have some nerve pain. This is also called neuropathic pain.

There is a bundle of nerves, called the coeliac plexus, behind the pancreas. These nerves send messages from the pancreas to the brain. Pancreatic cancer can press on the coeliac plexus or damage it, causing pain in the tummy area and back.

Nerve pain can come and go and can be difficult to describe. It may feel like a burning, shooting or stabbing pain, like pins and needles, or similar to toothache. Painkillers, including  opioid painkillers, may not always treat nerve pain on their own. Other drugs such as anti-depressants like amitriptyline, or anti-seizure drugs like gabapentin and pregabalin are also used.

A nerve block is a treatment that can sometimes be used for nerve pain.

A heat pack is a pad or bag that can be warmed up and put on a sore part of your body to relieve pain.  Some people find that heat packs can help with nerve pain.

Soft tissue (visceral) pain

If pancreatic cancer spreads to nearby organs, like the liver or bowel, it can cause a type of pain called soft tissue or visceral pain. The pain may feel deep, squeezing, aching or cramping. You may find it difficult to say exactly where the pain is coming from.

Soft tissue pain can sometimes cause pain in another part of the body. For example, you may feel pain in your neck or shoulder. This is called referred pain. It is common and can be managed.

Treatments for soft tissue pain can include painkillers and nerve blocks. Drugs called antispasmodic drugs are sometimes used to help with tummy cramps and pain.

Bone pain

For some people, pancreatic cancer can spread to the bone, causing pain. But this is not very common. Some medicines can also cause bone pain. People describe bone pain as aching, throbbing, or cramping. You may have an area that feels tender to touch.

Treatments for bone pain include painkillers and radiotherapy.

Different types of pain are treated differently. It is important to tell your doctor about any pain, or if your pain changes.

Updated April 2025

To be reviewed April 2028