Care for patients with advanced cancer in the last weeks of life in Brazil

Autor: David Hui, Camilla Zimmermann, Ana Lúcia Coradazzi, Theodora Karnakis, Natália Nunes, Isabella Gattás, Mirza Jacqueline Alcade Castro, Ricardo Caponero
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2022
Předmět:
Zdroj: Brazilian Journal of Oncology, Vol 18, Iss 00 (2022)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2526-8732
DOI: 10.5935/2526-8732.20220304
Popis: Despite all advances in the treatment of neoplasms and substantial increases in fiveyear survival rates, most patients still die due to their diseases. Late diagnosis in some circumstances and resistance mechanisms throughout treatment still cause most patients to require palliative care integrated with cancer treatment, since diagnosis. Most palliative care interventions can and should be carried out by the oncologist, with reference to the multidisciplinary team specialized in palliative care in the most critical moments of clinical evolution. It is important that the oncologist develops their skills in this scenario and knows how to recognize the moment of referral. The following text outlines the basic skills that are expected of oncologists, such as recognition of the prognosis, identification and correct assessment of symptoms, definition of the time to stop antineoplastic therapy, how to communicate these aspects to patients and family, how to involve psychosocial and spiritual issues and, finally, how to stay within the limits established by modern bioethics. This work consists of brief recommendations for oncologists working in Brazil.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals