Survival of patients with palliative head and neck cancer

Abstract

Comorbidity and palliative interventions are possible prognostic factors for survival. The involvement of a specialized nurse might be associated with an improved quality of life.

Experience of palliative care for patients with head and neck cancer through the eyes of next of kin: Impact of an Expert Center

“…In a recent study within our team, it was concluded that patients who were guided by one of our specialized nurses were more likely to die at home or in a hospice than in a hospital. In those cases in which one of our specialized nurses was involved, the number of hospital admissions also decreased . We acknowledge that nearly half of this patient group was single, which makes it more difficult to help to realize their wish to die at home.…”

“…Although the general practitioner is the most easily accessible professional caregiver for a patient in the palliative phase, good contact with the head and neck cancer surgeon is important given the specific tumor‐related symptoms that patients with head and neck cancer are confronted with and given the fact that general practitioners do not see many patients with head and neck cancer in the palliative phase in their clinical practice. Since the establishment of the Expert Center, general practitioners are able to consult our specialized nurses in order to improve home‐based palliative care …”

“…Physicians should be encouraged to talk to their terminally ill patients about the status and incurability of the disease as early as possible in order to facilitate patient and family decision‐making on how to prepare for the impending end of life . Accurate prognostic modeling could be helpful in informing and supporting patients with head and neck cancer in the palliative phase . Research on individualized prognostic counseling is currently being done in our department.…”

“…Since the establishment of the Expert Center, general practitioners are able to consult our specialized nurses in order to improve home-based palliative care. 6 We also received a better evaluation for the quantity of the communication and information during the palliative phase. This could also be explained by the presence in the team of the specialized nurse.…”

Effect of time to simulation and treatment for patients with oropharyngeal cancer receiving definitive radiotherapy in the era of risk stratification using smoking and human papillomavirus status

“…Nodal progression from staging to simulation may result in additional volume of neck being included in treatment fields, increasing the potential for acute and late toxicities. Patients with distant metastases may experience disease-related effects, including localized and systemic infection, bleeding, or pain 35 potentially reducing quality of life, in addition to necessitating further systemic therapy in select cases.…”