Cultural and Ethical Considerations for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in Chinese Patients With Cancer at the End of Life

2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 210-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhe Zhang ◽  
Meng-Lei Chen ◽  
Xiao-Li Gu ◽  
Ming-Hui Liu ◽  
Wen-Wu Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Chinese Patients ◽  
Ethical Considerations ◽  
Patients With Cancer

Use of Palliative Chemo- and Radiotherapy at the End of Life in Patients With Cancer: A Retrospective Cohort Study

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (9) ◽  
pp. 801-805 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhe Zhang ◽  
Xiao-Li Gu ◽  
Meng-Lei Chen ◽  
Ming-Hui Liu ◽  
Wei-Wei Zhao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Medical Records ◽  
Palliative Chemotherapy ◽  
Performance Status ◽  
Terminally Ill ◽  
Cardiovascular Complications ◽  
Cancer Center ◽  
Patients With Cancer ◽  
Terminally Ill Patients

Background: Administration of chemotherapy and radiotherapy near the end of life is a frequently discussed issue nowadays. We have evaluated the factors associated with the use of chemotherapy and radiotherapy at the end of life among terminally ill patients in China. Methods: This study included the data from patients who had died from advanced cancer who underwent palliative chemotherapy and radiotherapy between January 2007 and December 2013 at the Department of Palliative Care of Fudan University, Shanghai Cancer Center. Data were collected from hospital medical records. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify the factors independently associated with the use of chemo- and radiotherapy. Results: Among the 410 patients included (median age, 68 years; range, 18-93; 53% males), 47 (11.5%) underwent palliative chemotherapy and 28 (6.8%) underwent radiotherapy in the last 30 days. Age <65 years (odds ratio [OR]: 1.33, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06-2.88), performance status <3 (OR: 3.95; 95% CI: 1.56-5.07), and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (OR: 4.09, 95% CI: 2.66-5.34) were independently associated with the use of chemotherapy. Performance status <3 (OR: 4.06, 95% CI: 2.17-5.83) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (OR: 5.28, 95% CI: 3.77-7.21) were independently associated with the use of radiotherapy. Conclusion: The findings indicate that younger patients with a lower performance status who do not have complications are more likely to opt for chemo- or radiotherapy. Further, the use of palliative chemo- and radiotherapy should be considered carefully in terminally ill patients with cancer, as they seem to indicate a higher risk of cardiovascular complications requiring resuscitation.

Identifying End-of-Life Preferences Among Chinese Patients With Cancer Using the Heart to Heart Card Game

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 62-67
Author(s):  
Tong Li ◽  
Xianbo Pei ◽  
Xiaoli Chen ◽  
Shuqin Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Chinese Americans ◽  
Social Needs ◽  
Chinese Patients ◽  
Card Game ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Communication Tool ◽  
Patients With Cancer

Background: Understanding the preferences for end-of-life (EOL) care is imperative in providing quality care to patients with life-threatening illness. However, it is difficult for patients, families, and health-care providers to initiate EOL conversations in China. An easy-to-use tool that could help health-care providers initiate EOL discussions is the Heart to Heart Card Game (HHCG), originally designed for Chinese Americans. Objective: To evaluate the EOL preferences among Chinese patients with cancer using the HHCG. Methods: We conducted a descriptive study to assess EOL preferences using HHCG among patients at the oncology chemoradiotherapy department of a Chinese tertiary hospital. Results: We recruited 58 patients in total of which 40 (69%) patients completed HHCG. The most frequently selected card was “I want my family to get along,” followed by “I don’t want to be a burden to my family,” and “I want to maintain my dignity.” Among the 3 cards selected, social needs were rated as the most important (36.7%), followed by spiritual needs (35.8%), physical needs (20.0%), and financial needs (7.5%). The evaluation of the HHCG revealed that more than 70% of the participants highly valued HHCG. Conclusion: The HHCG can be used as a communication tool to encourage EOL discussions between cancer patients and health-care providers in China. Moreover, Chinese patients with cancer attach significant importance to their family and maintaining dignity at the EOL.

scholarly journals Chemotherapy Near the End of Life for Chinese Patients with Solid Malignancies

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin Sheng ◽  
Ya‐Xiong Zhang ◽  
Xiao‐Bo He ◽  
Wen‐Feng Fang ◽  
Yun‐Peng Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
End Of Life ◽  
Chinese Patients ◽  
Solid Malignancies

Delirium in Patients with Cancer at the End of Life

2000 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 172-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet L. Cobb ◽  
Michael J. Glantz ◽  
Patrice K. Nicholas ◽  
Edward W. Martin ◽  
Alexandra Paul-Simon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
End Of Life ◽  
Patients With Cancer

Corresponding about death: Analyzing letters from patients with cancer to medical students.

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 11021-11021
Author(s):  
Tianyi Zhang ◽  
Mekaleya Tilahun ◽  
Cynthia Perlis ◽  
Sam Brondfield
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Death And Dying ◽  
Severe Illness ◽  
Clinical Environment ◽  
Patients With Cancer ◽  
Coping Process ◽  
Award Winning ◽  
Multiple Paths ◽  
One Year

11021 Background: Clinicians frequently discuss death and dying with patients who have cancer. However, the doctor-patient hierarchy and the unfamiliar clinical environment may prevent these patients from discussing death and dying authentically. Patients may feel more comfortable expressing themselves when given the time and space to write at home. Firefly, an award-winning program at UCSF, facilitates written correspondence between patients with cancer and medical students over the course of one year. Firefly’s archive contains thousands of patient letters and constitutes a unique resource for analyzing authentic patient expression outside of the clinical context. The aim of the current study is to improve curricula pertaining to severe illness and end-of-life by providing educators with an analysis of authentic patient perspectives about death and dying expressed in these letters. Methods: We (two medical students, an expressive artist, and an oncologist) read all Firefly letters written by patients between 2014 and 2019 and identified 12 patients whose letters meaningfully discussed death or dying. We performed a thematic analysis of these letters using the Buckman three-stage model of dying as a reference. Results: Four themes emerged: turmoil; grief; making peace; and past, present and future. The first three themes aligned with the Buckman stages. The fourth theme—past, present and future—spanned the three stages and also elaborated the Buckman model by describing multiple paths that patients may take after passing through these stages. Conclusions: The authentic ways in which patients with cancer discussed death and dying in their letters provided deep insight into their coping process. The Buckman model appears useful for framing death and dying from the patient perspective but may not fully reflect modern oncologic care in which many patients live for years beyond a severe or terminal diagnosis. Educators can use the identified themes to shape medical school curricula pertaining to severe illness and end-of-life care.

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