Mumbai: Pain management has become an increasingly important component of comprehensive cancer care, particularly as patients live longer with cancer and may experience pain related to the disease, surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy or other complications.
At the centre of this specialised field in India is Dr. Parmanand (P. N.) Jain, a senior Pain & Palliative Medicine physician with more than three decades of experience in pain management, interventional procedures and palliative care.
Dr. Jain was formerly Professor & Head, Division of Pain, Department of Anaesthesiology, Critical Care & Pain at Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, where his clinical, academic and research work focused extensively on complex pain and cancer pain management.
Focus on Cancer Pain Management
Cancer pain can have multiple causes, including tumour-related pressure, bone involvement, nerve damage and treatment-related pain. Managing it effectively often requires more than conventional pain medicines alone.
Dr. Jain's clinical practice focuses on detailed assessment of the source and nature of pain before developing an individualised treatment plan. Depending on the clinical situation, management may involve medicines, multimodal analgesia, opioid titration, rehabilitation and image-guided interventional procedures.
His areas of clinical focus include cancer pain, neuropathic pain, interventional pain management, palliative and supportive care, opioid management, and acute and post-operative pain.
Interventional Approaches for Complex Pain
For selected patients whose pain is not adequately controlled with medication, interventional pain procedures can form part of a comprehensive treatment strategy.
Dr. Jain's expertise includes image-guided procedures and nerve blocks, including neurolytic techniques and celiac plexus blocks used in appropriate cases of pancreatic and upper abdominal cancer pain.
The objective is not simply to reduce a pain score, but to help patients regain important aspects of daily life such as sleep, mobility, appetite and overall function.
Palliative Care Alongside Cancer Treatment
Palliative care is another important component of Dr. Jain's practice.
The approach addresses symptoms such as pain, breathlessness, nausea, vomiting, constipation, fatigue, poor appetite and sleep disturbance, while also supporting patients and families through the challenges associated with serious illness.
Importantly, palliative and supportive care can be provided alongside active cancer treatment. The focus is on improving comfort and quality of life while coordinating care with the patient's broader medical team.
Academic and Research Contribution
Dr. Jain's career has also included significant academic and teaching contributions.
According to his professional profile, he has more than 90 research publications and has delivered 300+ lectures, orations and workshops across 30 countries. His academic work has included cancer pain management, interventional procedures, neuropathic pain, acute and post-operative pain, and opioid-sparing approaches in oncology.
His profile also notes involvement with national cancer pain guidelines through the Indian Society for the Study of Pain's Cancer Pain Special Interest Group.
From Tata Memorial Centre to Continued Clinical Practice
Dr. Jain completed his MBBS in 1981 and MD in Anaesthesiology in 1985 at Medical College, Gwalior. His subsequent career included training and teaching positions in New Delhi and Udaipur before joining Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, in 1992.
He continues to see patients in Mumbai for cancer pain, neuropathic pain, interventional pain and palliative care.
His current consultation locations include Sushrut Hospital, Chembur, and Gleneagles Hospital, Parel. He is also associated with India Oncology Healing Centre (IOHC), Chembur, where appointments are available for oncology and palliative pain management.
A Patient-Centred Approach to Pain
The central principle of specialist pain medicine is that pain should be assessed systematically rather than treated as a single symptom.
Dr. Jain's stated clinical approach begins with understanding the character and source of pain, followed by detailed assessment and an individualised plan involving medicines, procedures and supportive care where appropriate. Follow-up allows treatment to be adjusted according to response, side effects and changing clinical needs.
For patients living with cancer, this approach places pain management within the larger goal of maintaining comfort, function, dignity and quality of life.
Dr. P. N. Jain at a Glance
| Area | Details |
|---|---|
| Speciality | Pain & Palliative Medicine |
| Primary Focus | Cancer Pain, Interventional Pain & Palliative Care |
| Experience | 30+ years |
| Former Academic Role | Professor & Head, Division of Pain, Tata Memorial Centre |
| Qualifications | MBBS, MD (Anaesthesiology), MNAMS, FICA, FIAPM, FOAPM, FAMS |
| Research | 90+ publications |
| Academic Engagement | 300+ lectures, orations & workshops |
| Clinical Areas | Cancer pain, neuropathic pain, interventional pain, palliative care, acute & post-operative pain |
| Mumbai Consultations | Sushrut Hospital, Chembur; Gleneagles Hospital, Parel; IOHC, Chembur by appointment |
Looking Beyond Pain Relief
As cancer care becomes increasingly multidisciplinary, pain and palliative medicine has an important role in supporting patients throughout the course of illness.
Dr. P. N. Jain's three-decade career reflects the evolution of specialist pain medicine in India—from clinical anaesthesia and cancer pain management to interventional procedures, research, physician education and comprehensive palliative care.
His continuing clinical practice in Mumbai focuses on a simple but important objective: helping patients achieve better control of pain and other distressing symptoms while preserving comfort, function and dignity.
FAQs
Who is Dr. P. N. Jain?
Dr. Parmanand Jain is a senior Pain & Palliative Medicine physician with more than three decades of experience and a former Professor & Head of the Division of Pain at Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai.
What does Dr. P. N. Jain specialise in?
His clinical areas include cancer pain management, interventional pain management, palliative and supportive care, neuropathic pain, opioid management and acute/post-operative pain.
Where does Dr. Jain consult in Mumbai?
He currently consults by appointment at Sushrut Hospital in Chembur and Gleneagles Hospital in Parel. He also provides oncology and palliative pain management consultations at India Oncology Healing Centre in Chembur by appointment.
How much academic experience does Dr. Jain have?
His profile lists more than 90 research publications and more than 300 lectures, orations and workshops across 30 countries.
https://drpnjain.com/
