II. Epidemiology: Symptom Prevalence
- Asthenia (Fatigue): 90%
- Anorexia: 85%
- Cancer Pain: 76%
- Nausea: 68%
- Constipation: 65%
- Sedation or confusion: 60%
- Dyspnea: 12%
III. Management: Approach
- Target the underlying cause of symptoms (e.g. treat the Dyspnea leading to anxiety)
- Medication initiation and titration
- Start medications at low dose and titrate to effect
- Transition as needed dosing to scheduled dosing and to longer acting agents
- Proactively prevent symptoms if possible
- Medication delivery
- Consider alternative formulations that allow for difficult patient Swallowing and Somnolence
- Some medications may be reformulated by compounding pharmacies
- Sublingual medications (mucous membranes must be moist)
- Concentrated and dissolving medications
- Transdermal patches, creams and gels
- Rectal suppositories
IV. Management: Cancer Emergencies
- Metabolic Cancer Complications
- Infectious and hematologic Cancer Complications
- Vascular Complications
- Malignant Cardiac Tamponade
- Pericardial Effusion is present in up to one third of cancer patients
- Most common cancer causes of Pericardial Effusion are metastatic lung and Breast Cancer
- Superior Vena Cava Syndrome
- Hyperviscosity Syndrome (includes Polycythemia Vera and Leukostasis)
- Malignant Cardiac Tamponade
- Neurologic complications
- Gastrointestinal complications
- See gastrointestinal symptoms below
- Neutropenic Colitis (Neutropenic Enterocolitis, Typhlitis)
- Chemotherapy complications
-
Radiation Therapy complications
- See Radiation Therapy for adverse effects
-
Cancer Immunotherapy complications
- See Cancer Immunotherapy for adverse effects
- Serious complications include Pneumonitis and Pancreatitis
- References
- Aurora and Herbert in Majoewsky (2013) EM:Rap 13(10): 1-4
- Long, Long and Koyfman (2020) Crit Dec Emerg Med 34(11): 17-24
- Higdon (2006) Am Fam Physician 74:1873-80 [PubMed]
- Zuckerman (2012) Blood 120(10): 1993-2002 [PubMed]
V. Management: Symptoms
- Mouth and Dental
- Includes Dry Mouth and excessive oral secretions
- See Mouth Care in Cancer
- Dermatology
- See Fungating Growths
- See Radiation Dermatitis
- 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 Malignancy
- 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
VI. 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]
- Pill burden
- Discontinue pills that do not affect quality of life (Antihypertensives, Hyperlipidemia agents, diabetes medications)
- Eliminate medications with significant adverse effects (e.g. Anticholinergic Medications cause Constipation)
VII. Management: Hospice Comfort Kit
- Antpyretics for fever
- Acetaminophen 650 mg suppository SL or PR every 4 hours as needed for fever
-
Opiates for pain, Shortness of Breath (caution: highly concentrated)
- See Cancer Pain Opioid
- Morphine 20 mg/ml 5-10 mg (0.25 to 0.5 ml) every 3 hours as needed for pain, Shortness of Breath
- Oxycodone 20 mg/ml 5-10 mg (0.25 to 0.5 ml) every 3 hours as needed for pain, Shortness of Breath
-
Benzodiazepines for anxiety
- Lorazepam 2 mg/ml 0.5 to 1 mg SL or PR every 4 hours as needed for anxiety
-
Antipsychotics for Nausea, Agitation
- Haloperidol 2 mg/ml 0.5 to 1 mg SL or PR every 4 hours as needed for Nausea or Agitation
- Risperidone 2 mg/ml 0.5 to 1 mg SL or PR every 4 hours as needed for Nausea or Agitation
-
Anticholinergics for excessive oral secretions
- Hyoscamine 0.125 mg SL every 6 hours as needed for excessive oral secretions
- Atropine 1% ophthalmic drops SL every 6 hours as needed for excessive oral secretions
VIII. 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
IX. References
Images: Related links to external sites (from Bing)
Related Studies
Definition (MSHCZE) | Péče zmírňující pouze příznaky onemocnění, neléčí základní příčinu 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 (categoría 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 | カンワケア, 緩和ケア, 姑息療法(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', ПАЛЛИАТИВНАЯ МЕДИЦИНСКАЯ ПОМОЩЬ, ПАЛЛИАТИВНОЕ ЛЕЧЕНИЕ |
Czech | Paliativní péče, paliativní terapie, paliativní léčba, paliativní péče |
French | Thérapie palliative, Traitement palliatif, Soins palliatifs |
Croatian | PALIJATIVNA NJEGA, PALIJATIVNA TERAPIJA, PALIJATIVNA SKRB |
Polish | Chirurgia paliatywna, Leczenie paliatywne, Opieka paliatywna |
Hungarian | Palliatív 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 | 腫瘍性合併症および緊急状態, シュヨウセイガッペイショウオヨビキンキュウジョウタイ |
Czech | Onkologické komplikace a náhlé příhody |
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 | シュヨウガッペイショウ, 腫瘍合併症 |
Czech | Onkologická komplikace |
Portuguese | Complicação oncológica |
Italian | Complicazione oncologica |
French | Complication oncologique |
Hungarian | Oncologiai komplikáció |