A critical review of the literature examining the assessment of cancer-related pain revealed a lack of systematic research. In the present study, 40 patients with cancer-related pain were compared to 37 pain-free cancer patients matched on diagnosis, stage of disease, age, sex, and inpatient vs. outpatient status. The results supported a multidimensional conceptualization of cancer-related pain consisting of sensory, affective, cognitive, and behavioral components.