I. See Also
II. Epidemiology: Symptom Prevalence
- Asthenia (Fatigue): 90%
- Anorexia: 85%
- Cancer Pain: 76%
- Nausea: 68%
- Constipation: 65%
- Sedation or confusion: 60%
- Dyspnea: 12%
III. Management: Cancer Emergencies
- Metabolic Cancer Complications
- Tumor Lysis Syndrome
- Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone: SIADH
- Malignant Hypercalcemia (Hypercalcemia of Malignancy)
- Infectious and hematologic Cancer Complications
- Vascular Complications
- Malignant Cardiac Tamponade
- Superior Vena Cava Syndrome
- Hyperviscosity Syndrome (includes Polycythemia Vera and Leukostasis)
- Neurologic complications
- Gastrointestinal complications
- See gastrointestinal symptoms below
- Neutropenic Colitis (Neutropenic Enterocolitis, Typhlitis)
- Chemotherapy complications
- References
- Aurora and Herbert in Majoewsky (2013) EM:Rap 13(10): 1-4
- Higdon (2006) Am Fam Physician 74:1873-80 [PubMed]
- Zuckerman (2012) Blood 120(10): 1993-2002 [PubMed]
IV. Management: Symptoms
- Dental
- Dermatology
- See Fungating Growths
- Pain
- See Cancer Pain
- Dehydration in Cancer Patients
- See Cachexia in Cancer
- See Hypodermoclysis
- Only treat if it improves quality of life
- Risk Intravenous Fluids: Iatrogenic pulmonary edema
-
Hypercalcemia of Malgnancy
- Most common serious Palliative Care metabolic effect
- Always keep in mind and test for it!
- Fluids effectively treat Hypercalcemia in most cases
- Gastrointestinal
- Pulmonary
- Neurologic and Psychiatric
- Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal
- See Fatigue in Cancer
- Radicular symptoms should be evaluated with advanced imaging
- Cancer patients may not present with typical red flag symptoms (e.g. cauda equina, bilateral involvement)
- Cerebral Edema
- Treat with Dexamethasone (and concurrent H2 Blocker)
- Fluid Third Spacing
- Malignant Ascites
- See Pleural Effusion in Cancer
V. Management: Special circumstances
- Terminal patients who choose not to eat or drink
- Some patients will choose to hasten their own death
- Competent patients may refuse to take nourishment
- Study looked at suffering, pain and duration to death
- Patients died within 2 weeks of stopping intake
- Low level of pain and suffering
- Ganzini (2003) N Engl J Med 349:359-65 [PubMed]
VI. Resources
- End of Life Physicians Education Resource
- http://www.eperc.mcw.edu
- Fast Facts offers an excellent clinician resource
- National Cancer Institute
- Center to Advance Palliative Care
- American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
VII. References
- Storey (1996) Primer of Palliative Care, AAHPM
- Ross (2001) Am Fam Physician 64(6):1019-26 [PubMed]
- Ross (2001) Am Fam Physician 64(5):807-14 [PubMed]
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| Definition (MSHCZE) | PéÄ�e zmÃrňujÃcà pouze pÅ™Ãznaky onemocnÄ›nÃ, neléÄ�à základnà pÅ™ÃÄ�inu nemoci.(Stedman, 25th ed) |
| Definition (MEDLINEPLUS) |
Palliative care is treatment of the discomfort, symptoms, and stress of serious illness. It provides relief from distressing symptoms including
It can also help you deal with the side effects of the medical treatments you're receiving. Hospice care, care at the end of life, always includes palliative care. But you may receive palliative care at any stage of an illness. The goal is to make you comfortable and improve your quality of life. NIH: National Institute of Nursing Research |
| Definition (NCI_CDISC) | The patient- and family-centered active holistic care of patients with advanced, progressive disease. Essential components of palliative care are: pain and symptom control, communication regarding treatment and alternatives, prognosis, and available services, rehabilitation services, care that addresses treatment and palliative concerns, intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual needs, terminal care, support in bereavement. The goal of palliative care is an achievement of the best quality of life for patients and their families. |
| Definition (NCI_NCI-GLOSS) | Treatment given to relieve the symptoms and reduce the suffering caused by cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Palliative cancer therapies are given together with other cancer treatments, from the time of diagnosis, through treatment, survivorship, recurrent or advanced disease, and at the end of life. |
| Definition (NCI) | The patient- and family-centered active holistic care of patients with advanced, progressive disease. Essential components of palliative care are: pain and symptom control, communication regarding treatment and alternatives, prognosis, and available services, rehabilitation services, care that addresses treatment and palliative concerns, intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual needs, terminal care, support in bereavement. The goal of palliative care is an achievement of the best quality of life for patients and their families. |
| Definition (MSH) | Care alleviating symptoms without curing the underlying disease. (Stedman, 25th ed) |
| Concepts | Health Care Activity (T058) |
| MSH | D010166 |
| SnomedCT | 395079002, 393128009, 394079005, 103735009 |
| English | Palliative Treatment, Palliative Treatments, Treatment, Palliative, Treatments, Palliative, Care, Palliative, Palliative Care, Palliative Therapy, Therapy, Palliative, Palliative treatment (context-dependent category), PALLIATIVE THER, THER PALLIATIVE, palliative care (treatment), palliative care, care palliatives, cares palliative, therapy palliative, care palliative, palliative treatment, Palliative treatment (situation), Palliative treatment, Comfort Measures, symptom management, palliation, palliative therapy, comfort care, Palliative care, Palliative care (regime/therapy), Palliative care, NOS, Palliative care (regime/therapy)(procedure), Comfort Care, Symptom Management, Symptoms Management |
| Italian | Cura palliativa, Terapia palliativa, Trattamento palliativo, Assistenza palliativa |
| Swedish | Palliativ vård |
| Spanish | tratamiento paliativo (categorÃa dependiente del contexto), Cuidados Paliativos, tratamiento paliativo (situación), tratamiento paliativo, Atención Paliativa, cuidados paliativos (procedimiento), cuidados paliativos (régimen/tratamiento), cuidados paliativos, Cuidados paliativos, Tratamiento Paliativo |
| Japanese | カ�ワケア, 緩和ケア, 姑�療法(緩和ケア), 待期療法(緩和ケア), 緩和療法, パリアティブケア |
| Finnish | Lievityshoito |
| Russian | PALLIATIVNOE LECHENIE, PALLIATIVNAIA MEDITSINSKAIA POMOSHCH', П�ЛЛИ�ТИВ��Я МЕДИЦИ�СК�Я ПОМОЩЬ, П�ЛЛИ�ТИВ�ОЕ ЛЕЧЕ�ИЕ |
| Czech | Paliativnà pé�e, paliativnà terapie, paliativnà lé�ba, paliativnà pé�e |
| French | Thérapie palliative, Traitement palliatif, Soins palliatifs |
| Croatian | PALIJATIVNA NJEGA, PALIJATIVNA TERAPIJA, PALIJATIVNA SKRB |
| Polish | Chirurgia paliatywna, Leczenie paliatywne, Opieka paliatywna |
| Hungarian | PalliatÃv kezelés |
| Norwegian | Palliativ pleie, Palliativ behandling, Lindrende behandling |
| Portuguese | Cuidados Paliativos, Assistência Paliativa, Cuidado Paliativo, Cuidados paliativos, Tratamento Paliativo |
| Dutch | palliatieve zorg, Therapie, palliatieve, Zorg, palliatieve |
| German | Palliativbehandlung, Palliative Behandlung, Palliativpflege |
Ontology: Oncologic complications and emergencies (C0851630)
| Concepts | Disease or Syndrome (T047) |
| Italian | Complicanze ed emergenze oncologiche |
| Japanese | è…«ç˜�性å�ˆä½µç—‡ã�Šã‚ˆã�³ç·Šæ€¥çŠ¶æ…‹, ï½¼ï½ï¾–ウセイガッï¾�゚イショウオヨビキï¾�ï½·ï½ï½³ï½¼ï¾žï½®ï½³ï¾€ï½² |
| Czech | Onkologické komplikace a náhlé pÅ™Ãhody |
| English | Oncologic complications and emergencies |
| Hungarian | Oncologiai komplikációk és sürgősségi esetek |
| Portuguese | Complicações e urgências oncológicas |
| Spanish | Complicaciones y urgencias oncológicas |
| Dutch | oncologische complicaties en spoedgevallen |
| French | Complications et urgences oncologiques |
| German | Onkologische Komplikationen und Notfaelle |
Ontology: Oncologic complication (C2242489)
| Concepts | Pathologic Function (T046) |
| English | Oncologic complication |
| Spanish | Complicación oncológica |
| Dutch | oncologische complicatie |
| German | onkologische Komplikation |
| Japanese | ï½¼ï½ï¾–ウガッï¾�゚イショウ, è…«ç˜�å�ˆä½µç—‡ |
| Czech | Onkologická komplikace |
| Portuguese | Complicação oncológica |
| Italian | Complicazione oncologica |
| French | Complication oncologique |
| Hungarian | Oncologiai komplikáció |

