Exploring the Link Between Cancer Genetics and PPSP

Pain is common in cancer, affecting between 40 and 60% of patients depending on tumour type and stage of disease, and represents a major area of unmet need in cancer survivors. Despite advances in treatment, there has been no significant reduction in those who experience pain. Breast cancer is common. It represents 10% of newly diagnosed cancers globally and is often associated with pain. Exact physiological mechanisms for cancer pain are not yet fully established. There is a complex relationship between a malignant lesion and its micro-environment; a tumour does not exist in isolation but has a dynamic relationship with host cells. There is a growing interest in delineating the relationship between tumour manifestations and pain. By retrospectively identifying individuals who have been referred to specialist pain clinics at a cancer centre and matching them to controls, the investigators can identify two groups of patients (those who experienced significant problems with pain and those who did not). Accessing paraffin-embedded tissue samples from those that have had surgical resections, will allow the investigators to compare tissue samples, in particular the metabolic and genetic differences, between the two groups. No new tissue samples will be required for this study. Pain is a major area of unmet need in cancer survivors. The investigators propose that this project would provide valuable knowledge and pilot data regarding the link between pain and tumour genetics. It has the potential to identify tumour genes or mutations that are associated with greater incidences of pain and ultimately potentially guide targeted interventions to help reduce the frequency and impact of pain on patients living with and beyond cancer.