Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Mar 2012
Multicenter StudyPain intensity, quality of life, quality of palliative care, and satisfaction in outpatients with metastatic or recurrent cancer: a Japanese, nationwide, region-based, multicenter survey.
Increasing numbers of patients with advanced cancer are receiving anticancer and/or palliative treatment in outpatient settings, and palliative care for outpatients with advanced cancer is being recognized as one of the most important areas for comprehensive cancer treatment. ⋯ A considerable number of outpatients with metastatic or recurrent cancer experienced pain, physical symptoms, emotional distress, and existential suffering, and advocated improvements in palliative care across multiple areas.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Mar 2012
Multicenter StudyPreferred and actual involvement of advanced lung cancer patients and their families in end-of-life decision making: a multicenter study in 13 hospitals in Flanders, Belgium.
Death is often preceded by medical decisions that potentially shorten life (end-of-life decisions [ELDs]), for example, the decision to withhold or withdraw treatment. Respect for patient autonomy requires physicians to involve their patients in this decision making. ⋯ In half of the cases, advanced lung cancer patients-or their families in cases of incompetence-were not involved in ELD making, despite the wishes of most of them. Physicians should openly discuss ELDs and involvement preferences with their advanced lung cancer patients.