Polskie Archiwum Medycyny Wewnętrznej
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Pol. Arch. Med. Wewn. · Apr 2019
End-of-life care for patients with advanced lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: survey among Polish pulmonologists.
INTRODUCTION There is evidence that people with nonmalignant disease receive poorer end‑of‑life (EOL) care compared with people with cancer. OBJECTIVES The aim of the study was to assess the selected aspects of symptomatic treatment and communication between physicians and patients diagnosed with either advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or lung cancer. METHODS A questionnaire survey was conducted online among members of the Polish Respiratory Society. ⋯ CONCLUSIONS Patients with COPD, as compared with patients with lung cancer, were less frequently treated with opioids to relieve chronic breathlessness or referred for a PC consultation. Discussing the EOL issues with a patient was generally found challenging by physicians, and most often pursued with caregivers instead. The COPD recommendations on PC may prove helpful in providing better EOL care by pulmonologists.