Palliative oncology and palliative care

Abstract

New therapeutic approaches can produce promising results even in severely ill cancer patients. But they also pose new challenges with respect to prognostication, as patients who were once not eligible for treatment, due to age or comorbidities, now are. Palliative oncology constitutes a major part of oncological care, with life prolongation and quality of life as its main goals. Palliative care specialists are experts in symptom control and psychosocial and existential support, and the integration of their expertise early on in patient care can prolong survival. In this article, I discuss the need to integrate specialist palliative care into early cancer treatment plans to achieve quality of life for patients. I also discuss the ways in which palliative care specialists balance the benefits of novel treatments against their adverse effects for patients, particularly for the elderly, the frail and those in advance stages of disease. I highlight the need to ensure equal access to palliative care to improve cancer patients' quality of life but also why futile, burdensome treatments should be avoided especially in the frail, elderly patients. Further, I discuss benefits and problems related to nutritional support in patients with cachexia and exemplify why translational research is needed to link basic research with clinical oncology and effective symptom control.

Experience of multidisciplinary medical teams on humanistic palliative care in oncology wards: a descriptive qualitative study in Southern China

“…In recent years, there has been a growing understanding of and support for palliative care. Patients grappling with cancer experience a multitude of discomforting symptoms at different junctures of the disease, and the severity of their suffering directly correlates with a diminished quality of life for both patients and their families 31. The paramount aspiration of patients and their families is for the patients to experience maximum comfort.…”

“…Patients grappling with cancer experience a multitude of discomforting symptoms at different junctures of the disease, and the severity of their suffering directly correlates with a diminished quality of life for both patients and their families. 31 The paramount aspiration of patients and their families is for the patients to experience maximum comfort. Medical staff have recognised the escalating significance of alleviating discomfort and delivering considerate humanistic care.…”

Long-Term Immunological Alertness and Response to COVID-19 Vaccination—Conditions for Prevention in Early Palliative Oncological Care Patients

“…The need for prevention remains a worrisome issue for palliative oncological care patients, which may be assuaged through newly developed therapeutic strategies for severely ill individuals. However, these may also present a prognostic challenge, especially for those patients previously ineligible for treatment due to age or present comorbidities [ 25 ]. Needless to say, palliative cancer care patients should be considered a high-priority COVID-19 vaccination subgroup [ 26 , 27 ], seeking in this manner to ameliorate the risk of death from COVID-19.…”

Combined early palliative care for non-small-cell lung cancer patients: a randomized controlled trial in Chongqing, China

“…Palliative care focused on managing symptoms and providing psychosocial support can improve a patient’s quality of life and care ( 10 , 11 ). For advanced cancer patients, palliative care has accumulated substantial evidence supporting its integration into oncology practice ( 12 – 15 ).…”