Palliative care
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Palliative care
What is Palliative Care?
- Palliative care is specialized medical care focused on relieving symptoms, pain, and stress in patients with serious illnesses like cancer.
- It is not limited to end-of-life care and can be given alongside curative treatments.
Goals of Palliative Care
- Improve quality of life for patients and families
- Alleviate physical, emotional, and psychosocial distress
- Help with decision-making and goal setting
- Support caregivers and provide end-of-life care if needed
When is Palliative Care Used?
- At any stage of cancer, especially advanced or metastatic cases
- Common in terminal illnesses, when curative treatment is no longer effective
- During active treatment to manage side effects and symptoms
Common Issues Addressed
Type
Examples
Physical
Pain, fatigue, breathlessness, nausea, constipation, anorexia
Emotional
Anxiety, depression, fear, grief
Spiritual
Loss of meaning, existential concerns
Practical
Financial issues, advance directives, home care planning
Modalities in Palliative Cancer Care
- Medications: Opioids, antiemetics, anxiolytics, laxatives, steroids
- Palliative Radiotherapy: For pain relief, bleeding control, or obstruction (e.g., spine mets, brain mets)
- Palliative Chemotherapy: To reduce tumor burden/symptoms (not curative)
- Supportive Therapies: Nutritional support, counseling, physiotherapy
- Hospice Care: End-of-life care focused on comfort, typically when life expectancy is ≤6 months
Multidisciplinary Team Approach
- Oncologist
- Palliative care physician
- Nurse
- Social worker
- Psychologist
- Chaplain
- Physiotherapist
Key Points
- Palliative care improves quality of life regardless of disease stage
- Should be integrated early in advanced cancers
- Addresses comprehensive patient needs – not just physical symptoms
- Empowers patients and families with dignity and comfort