Pain Medicine
Salahadin Abdi, M.D., Ph.D.
Department Chair
- Departments, Labs and Institutes
- Departments and Divisions
- Pain Medicine
One of the most distressing symptoms of any disease is pain. In the United States alone, millions of people suffer from cancer pain. However, many people do not report their pain or seek appropriate treatment. False beliefs that compromise effective pain management include:
- Physicians might stop treatment when pain is reported
- Pain indicates the spreading of cancer
- Pain is "normal"
- Pain medicines cause addiction and harsh side effects
Pain Medicine is dedicated to finding the best treatment options for patients with cancer pain.
To do this efficiently, we have divided up our section into two different services to provide care. The Cancer Pain Service works with both inpatient and outpatients to manage their pain. The Postoperative Pain Service assists patients that have pain after surgery.
We serve the MD Anderson community by:
- Making quality patient care our No. 1 priority
- Offering comprehensive, interdisciplinary cancer pain management services
- Facilitating maximum pain control, minimizing treatment-related side effects, and maintaining a patient's optimum wellness
- Upholding MD Anderson's core values of caring, integrity and discovery
- Striving to care for the whole person, physically, emotionally and spiritually
- Participating in clinical trials to continuously improve our services
- Educating the professional, patient and public sectors about pain assessment and management techniques
- Acting as pain management activists to help define proactive, patient-focused care
- Staffing our services with compassionate and caring health care professionals
FY24 Department Accomplishments
Putting patient safety first
MD Anderson’s Pain Medicine faculty, fellows, mid-level providers, nurses, medical assistants and patient service coordinators are committed to providing cutting-edge, evidence-based and safe practices to patients. This has been reflected in consistently high patient satisfaction scores, underscoring the quality of care provided. Our team's expertise has been widely recognized, with many of our providers being acknowledged as experts and top doctors regionally, nationally and internationally. In a testament to their dedication and efficiency, faculty managed an impressive caseload (number of encounters) of about 15,000 patient encounters in fiscal year 2024. This included 1,900 new consultations, showcasing our expanding reach and reputation, along with 1,700 specialized procedures. The remaining visits were follow-ups for established patients, highlighting our commitment to continuity of care and long-term patient relationships. This remarkable productivity not only demonstrates our faculty's clinical prowess but also their unwavering dedication to improving patient outcomes and advancing medical practice.
International care
In 2024, faculty members Billy Huh, M.D., and Carlos Roldan, M.D., traveled to Chalco, Mexico, as part of MD Anderson’s volunteer medical team. They conducted an annual visit to Girlstown, a Catholic boarding school founded in 1991, which serves young girls from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Operated by Sisters of Mary and World Villages for Children, the Girlstown program provides education, and room and board for over 3,000 girls from 8th to 12th grade. The school offers a supportive environment that fosters both personal development and academic success through access to various sports facilities and essential resources. During this visit, Huh and Roldan conducted comprehensive physical examinations for 1,000 incoming students to assess their health and identify potential illnesses. We are grateful for our world-renowned experts who engage with global organizations to elevate patients’ quality of care from the local level.
30 years of Hard Hats for Little Heads initiative
Larry Driver, M.D., celebrated 30 years of his program, Hard Hats for Little Heads in 2024. The bike helmet giveaway program began in San Angelo, TX, after he witnessed a young neighbor suffer a concussion from a bicycle fall while not wearing a helmet. Recognizing the potential for prevention, he piloted a project that successfully distributed 50 helmets, which led to the establishment of the program under the Texas Medical Association (TMA). Over the past 30 years, this initiative has provided more than 422,000 helmets to Texas children, significantly promoting safety in cycling activities. Driver's contributions to child safety have been recognized with multiple honors, including the TMA’s Golden Apple Award in 1995 and a proclamation from the Texas House of Representatives in 2015, designating April 30 as Hard Hats for Little Heads Day. These efforts exemplify the commitment of MD Anderson to enhance the safety and well-being of all patients.
Pain Medicine Fellowship
Observer Program
Contact us
Department of Pain Medicine
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
1400 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 409
Houston, TX 77030
Phone: 713-745-PAIN (7246)
Postoperative Pain Service
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
1400 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 409
Houston, TX 77030
Phone: 713-745-2074
24-hour Pager: 713-404-2264