Análise comparativa dos níveis de dor em pacientes oncológicos: percepção sobre o tratamento fisioterapêutico no manejo da dor crônica

Abstract

Cancer is one of the greatest challenges in contemporary public health, characterized by uncontrolled cell growth, metastatic potential, and significant physical and emotional impacts on patients. Among its most prevalent symptoms is chronic pain, which severely compromises quality of life and requires a multidimensional therapeutic

approach. Despite advances in medical treatments, there are still gaps in the non- pharmacological management of pain, such as the use of physiotherapy. This study

aimed to analyze pain levels in cancer patients and understand their perceptions of physiotherapeutic treatment as a tool for managing chronic pain. It is a field research with a qualitative-quantitative, descriptive, and comparative design, conducted with 34 cancer patients at the Oncology Hospital of Maranhão Dr. Tarquínio Lopes Filho. Seven patients were excluded for not meeting the inclusion criteria, resulting in a final sample of 27 participants, divided into an intervention group (with physiotherapy) and a control group (without physiotherapy). Data collection was carried out using a sociodemographic questionnaire, a semi-structured interview, and the McGill Pain Questionnaire, allowing for a multidimensional assessment of pain (sensory, affective, evaluative, and miscellaneous domains). The results indicated that, although no statistically significant differences in pain levels were found between the groups (p > 0.05), patients undergoing physiotherapy showed greater emotional awareness of pain, possibly due to therapeutic rapport, clinical listening, and increased body awareness promoted by the intervention. Most patients in the intervention group (66.7%) reported pain improvement, suggesting that subjective experience should be considered when evaluating therapeutic effectiveness. The low access to physiotherapy observed in the control group revealed structural and informational barriers in the hospital setting, reinforcing the need for public policies that ensure the effective integration of physiotherapy in cancer care. It is concluded that physiotherapy plays a significant role in managing chronic pain, not only through physical effects but also by offering emotional support and humanized in cancer patients.