Snapshot of symptoms of advanced cervical cancer patients referred to the palliative care service in a cancer center in Mexico

Author(s):  
Silvia Allende‐Perez ◽  
Georgina Dominguez‐Ocadio ◽  
Verónica Velez‐Salas ◽  
David Isla‐Ortiz ◽  
Adriana Peña‐Nieves ◽  
...  
2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (31_suppl) ◽  
pp. 131-131
Author(s):  
Si Won Lee ◽  
Hye Jin Choi

131 Background: The importance of palliative care in cancer patients continues to be emphasized and studies are proving its importance. Several studies proved the improvement of quality of life in advanced cancer patients. The efficacy of symptom control based on outpatient palliative care service has not yet been reported in Korea. The objective of this study is to review the outcome of outpatient palliative care service at Yonsei Cancer Center, a tertiary cancer center in Korea. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 155 cancer patients who used outpatient clinic at Yonsei Cancer Center in Korea between April 2014 and December 2014. Symptom severity was measured by modified Korean version of Edmonton Symptom Assessment System. Twelve symptoms were assessed: pain, fatigue, nausea, depression, anxiety, drowsiness, dyspnea, sleep disorder, anorexia, constipation, wellbeing, financial distress. Higher score means worse symptom. ESAS scores at baseline and follow-up assessments were analyzed. Results: The 155 patients had following characteristics: female 52.3%, median age 65 years (range 58-75), Hepatobiliary-pancreatic cancer and lung cancer patients accounted for the largest portion (n = 37, 23.9%; n = 36, 23.2% respectively). Most patients were Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 1 (n = 28, 18.1%) or 2 (n = 24, 15.5%). Ninety-two (59.4%) patients were referred to the palliative care team after anti-cancer treatments were all finished. Overall the symptoms did not change significantly from baseline to 2 consecutive follow up assessment except anorexia ( p value = 0.0195). Patients who were on active anticancer treatment had tendency of higher ESAS score than those finished with the anticancer treatment. However, all symptoms except nausea were not statistically significant. Conclusions: Most patients in this study did not have severe symptom scores that would show the differences of the symptom changes. Nevertheless, although not statistically significant, we found that patients on active anticancer treatment had higher symptom burden than those who were finished with the anticancer treatment. More meticulous symptom management is necessary to improve the symptom control.


2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (9) ◽  
pp. 450-462
Author(s):  
Germans Natuhwera ◽  
Peter Ellis ◽  
Stanley Wilson Acuda

Aim: To explore the lived experiences of women with advanced incurable cervical cancer attending a palliative care service in Uganda. Methods: This qualitative and exploratory study was conducted at Mobile Hospice Mbarara in South Western Uganda. The target population was a convenience sample of all patients with a confirmed histological diagnosis of advanced cervical cancer; stage 2B to 4B, and clinically advanced disease. Demographic data were collected prior to conducting semi-structured audio-taped interviews. Transcripts were read and re-read, coded and codes were then abstracted into emergent broad-based meaningful themes by consensus. Results: A total of 10 participants, average age of 53.4, age range 40–71, cancer staging 2B to 4 and average duration of illness 3.5 years were interviewed. Six themes emerged from the data: socio-demographic profiles of the women; road to cancer diagnosis; effects of disease on women's quality of life; experiences with main stream medicine; adapting to having cancer and needs of the women. Conclusions: Living with advanced incurable cervical cancer is associated with significant disruptions in all domains of life. Good palliative care enables patients to achieve an optimal quality life. Poverty and a lack of knowledge about cervical cancer among women and health workers are the strongest predictors of a patient receiving a late advanced diagnosis.


2021 ◽  
pp. 003022282110598
Author(s):  
Gönül Düzgün ◽  
Ayfer Karadakovan

This study aimed to investigate the effect of music on pain, anxiety, comfort, and functional capacity of cancer patients who received care in a palliative care unit. The population of this randomized controlled trial consisted of cancer patients hospitalized in the palliative care service between July 2018 and July 2019. The study included 60 patients (30 interventions/30 controls). The patients in the intervention group were given a total of six music sessions, 10 minutes each with the Turkish classical music in maqams of their choice (Hejaz or Rast accompanied by an expert tambour (drum) player). There was a significant difference between the mean total pain scores, anxiety, comfort, and functional capacity scores of the patients in the intervention and control groups before and after music therapy. Music therapy decreased the level of pain. It is demonstrated that Turkish classical music therapy improved the pain, anxiety, comfort, and functional capacity in the palliative care unit.


2004 ◽  
Vol 22 (14_suppl) ◽  
pp. 8034-8034
Author(s):  
A. F. Elsayem ◽  
R. Jenkins ◽  
L. Parmley ◽  
M. L. Smith ◽  
J. L. Palmer ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e21642-e21642
Author(s):  
Sejal Kothadia ◽  
Zhen Wang ◽  
Sarah Lee ◽  
Victor Tsu-Shih Chang ◽  
Yucai Wang ◽  
...  

e21642 Background: Little is known about palliative care for liver cancer. In this study, we examined palliative care for liver cancer and lung cancer patients. Methods: In an IRB approved protocol, we reviewed medical records of patients diagnosed with liver cancer who were seen by the palliative care service between 2006 and 2012 at 2 VA medical centers, and matched them to patients with lung cancer by year, KPS, and stage. Veterans were compared by symptom prevalence with the CMSAS and by palliative care interventions. Statistical analyses were performed with SAS Studio Version 3.5. Results: We analyzed a total of 138 male patients at 2 VA centers; 69 with lung cancer and 69 with liver cancer. The mean age in both groups was 65 years and 60% of patients self-identified as a minority. There was a high prevalence of symptoms in both groups. Symptom prevalence differed significantly between liver and lung cancer pts for weight loss and dyspnea at one site, and for feeling drowsy, constipation, at the other site. These differences disappeared in a pooled analysis. During palliative care evaluation, more lung cancer patients received treatment for constipation (n = 44 in lung, 29 in liver, p = 0.0107) and dyspnea treatment (n = 37 in lung, 22 in liver, p = 0.0167). More patients with lung cancer were evaluated by physical therapy (n = 41 in lung, n = 28 in liver, p = 0.0276) and psychiatry (n = 31 in lung, n = 20 in liver, p = 0.032). Conclusions: Differences between lung and liver cancer patients’ symptom prevalence and treatment by palliative care can vary by site. This reinforces the importance of local surveys of symptom prevalence . Further studies should be replicated in other sites.


2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (31_suppl) ◽  
pp. 83-83
Author(s):  
Rebecca M. Prince ◽  
Shuyin Liang ◽  
Mantaj Brar ◽  
Stephanie Ramkumar ◽  
Adena Scheer ◽  
...  

83 Background: Increasing recognition that high-quality end of life care is essential has resulted in internationally endorsed metrics allowing assessment of interventions at the end of life. Median survival for mCRC patients has improved to more than 24 months resulting in increased opportunity to undergo interventions for symptom relief at the end of life. We explored patterns of palliative interventions (chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery, endoscopy, drainage procedures) and outcomes in mCRC patients. Methods: A retrospective review was undertaken of all mCRC patients referred to the palliative care service from 2000 to 2010 at a tertiary cancer center in Toronto, Canada. Descriptive statistics, survival analysis and regression were employed. Results: A total of 542 patients were included of whom 52.8% were male, mean age was 62.8 years and 44.6% had stage 4 disease at diagnosis. Over the course of their disease 93.9% had an intervention at any time after their diagnosis including 27.5% of patients undergoing palliative surgery, 77% of patients had an intervention in the last year of life and 19.1% had an intervention in the last 30 days of life. The percentage of patients receiving interventions within the last 14 days of life were 1.23% for chemotherapy, 4.6% for radiotherapy, 0.5% for surgery, 10.4% for endoscopy and 23% drainage procedures. The mean time between referral to palliative care and death was 7 months (SD 10.4). For patients who received chemotherapy, the mean time between last chemotherapy and death was 9.5 months (SD 14.9). Overall survival for patients who did not receive chemotherapy was 28 months (SD 33) compared with 40 months (SD 32) for those who received chemotherapy. Regression analysis for risks of dying within 30 days of chemotherapy was limited by a low event rate. Increasing age was significantly associated with a lower risk of dying within 30 days of chemotherapy. Conclusions: In their final months of life, palliative mCRC patients undergo a significant number of interventions aiming to improve quality of life. These require considerable multi-disciplinary input with ramifications for quality care, planning for service provision and funding.


Lung Cancer ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 83 ◽  
pp. S47-S48
Author(s):  
R. Knight ◽  
A.G. Sutherland ◽  
E. Shereston ◽  
A. Parr ◽  
L. Forman ◽  
...  

2004 ◽  
Vol 22 (14_suppl) ◽  
pp. 8034-8034
Author(s):  
A. F. Elsayem ◽  
R. Jenkins ◽  
L. Parmley ◽  
M. L. Smith ◽  
J. L. Palmer ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e23101-e23101
Author(s):  
Daniel S Jamorabo ◽  
Benjamin D Renelus ◽  
Pragnan Kancharla ◽  
William M Briggs

e23101 Background: Palliative care is integral to cancer treatment. Our goal was to investigate the factors associated with palliative care service involvement for hospitalized colon cancer patients. Methods: We carried out a retrospective study of all colon cancer patients diagnosed and hospitalized at our institution from 1/1/2010 through 12/31/2017. We identified 667 patients, including 370 women (55%). We used Fisher’s exact test to find statistically significant differences in proportions of patients seen by the palliative care service based on sex, race, cancer stage, surgical intervention, and chemotherapy administration. Results: We found that 561/667 (84%) colon cancer patients were not evaluated by the palliative care service (including 301 women; 54%) and that overall they were unlikely to have been evaluated regardless of sex, race, cancer stage, or chemotherapy (Table). Patients who underwent surgery were equally likely to be seen by the team as those who did not have surgery. We found that 53% (150/285) of patients with Stage III and IV disease received neither chemotherapy nor palliative care evaluation. Conclusions: The palliative care service is underutilized at our facility even when patients with advanced stage disease are hospitalized. Even when patients are not on chemotherapy, the palliative care service remains uninvolved. This may be due to inadequate staffing, misconceptions that providers and patients have about palliative care, or lack of coordination between inpatient and outpatient providers. We did not find that palliative care service utilization led to a statistically significant difference in survival, but their involvement is critical to helping address patients’ goals of care and symptoms. It is also instrumental to improving cancer patients’ quality of life both in the outpatient and inpatient setting, regardless of cancer stage or survival, as in our patient population. More effort is needed to include the palliative care service in the care of patients with advanced colon cancer. [Table: see text]


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