The American Society of Clinical Oncology has published a clinical practice guideline on the management of chronic pain in survivors of adult cancers. Among the recommendations:

• Screen for pain at each encounter.

• Evaluate, treat, and monitor recurrent disease, second malignancy, or late-onset treatment effects in patients who report new-onset pain.

• Determine the need for other health professionals to provide comprehensive pain management care.

• It is acceptable to prescribe systemic nonopioid analgesics and adjuvant analgesics to relieve chronic pain and/or to improve function.

• It is also acceptable to prescribe a trial of opioids in carefully selected patients with cancer who do not respond to more conservative management.

• It is important to incorporate universal precautions to minimize abuse, addiction, and adverse consequences of opioid use.