Surviving cancer might also mean living with long-term pain, finds new research.

In a study to be published in the American Cancer Society's journal, Cancer, researchers have found that 20 per cent of cancer survivors still suffer from pain related to their cancer at least two years after their diagnosis.

The study was conducted by the University of Michigan Health System and was sponsored by the Lance Armstrong Foundation, an organization that examines experiences of cancer survivors.

The study surveyed nearly 200 patients who had been diagnosed with breast, prostate, colorectal, or lung cancer, or multiple myeloma. About half the group was female.

The researchers found that 43 per cent of respondents said they had experienced pain after their diagnosis, with 20 per cent suffering chronic cancer-related pain at least two years later.

The risk of suffering chronic pain was highest among female patients and blacks. Women also reported more intense cancer-related pain than men, the survey found.

Among white patients, the most significant source of pain was at the site of the cancer surgery; 53.8 per cent reported this as the source of their pain.

Among black patients, the greatest source of pain came from the cancer treatment (46.2 per cent).

It's unclear why there was this racial difference, though white patients were more likely to have been treated for breast cancer, while more black patients were treated for prostate cancer.

In addition, the study found that compared to men, women had more pain, more pain flare-ups, more disability due to pain and were more depressed because of pain.

Black patients who suffered from pain reported higher pain severity, expressed more concern about harmful pain treatment side effects, and had greater pain-related disability.

The authors say their findings are significant given that more than 60 per cent of people diagnosed with cancer will be alive in five years. As society ages, pain complaints and issues will grow as significant health concerns, they note.

"All in all, the high prevalence of cancer and pain and now chronic cancer pain among these survivors, especially blacks and women, shows there's more work to be done in improving the quality of care and research," lead study author and pain medicine specialist Dr. Carmen R. Green, a professor of anesthesiology, obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Michigan, said in a news release.

The authors suggest that problems with patient knowledge of pain management techniques may lead to poor pain management. For instance, worries about side effects such as addiction or fears that pain is a sign that the cancer had gotten worse may lead patients and their doctors to minimize pain complaints.

"When necessary and appropriate, there are a variety of therapies available to address pain and improve their well-being," Green says.