The belief that cancer inevitably leads to a painful death is widespread. This may contribute to society''s cancerophobia with subsequent frequent delays in seeking medical attention for suspected malignant neoplasms. The degree of pain experienced by dying patients, with and without cancer, at a large medical center was evaluated. Patterns of analgesic administration and physician and nurse progress notes demonstrated that patients dying with cancer had significantly higher preterminal daily pain ratings and significantly fewer pain-free days than patients dying without cancer (P < .01). Approximately 1/4 of cancer patients died without any pain or analgesic administration. A painful death from cancer is not inevitable.