Hundred patients with far-advanced cancer and pain were interviewed within a few days of admission to a special care unit. Eighty had more than one pain; 34 had four or more. A total of 303 anatomically distinct pains were recorded. Ninety-one patients had pain caused by the cancer itself. Twelve had treatment-related pain; and 19 had pain related to chronic disease or debility ('associated pain'). Thirty-nine patients had one or more pains unrelated to cancer or treatment; the most common of these was myofascial pain. In 41 patients only was all the pain caused directly by the cancer. Bone involvement and nerve compression were the most common forms of cancer-related pain; soft tissue and visceral pains also occurred frequently. Fifty-seven patients had pain for more than 4 months.