DR in oncology is influenced by clinical outcomes and quality of the decision-making process. Greater emphasis on shared decision-making, communication and expectation management may help reduce DR and improve patient-centred cancer care.<b>Keywords:</b> Decisional regret, cancer, decision regret sc …

If you see patients with ALS or Parkinson's, or want to learn about the latest advancements, Palliative Horizons was designed for you. One day in Vancouver this November. Clinical, practical, and buil...

Cancer patients and caregivers perceived naloxone as beneficial and not likely to cause harm. Agreement between patients and caregivers was only fair, suggesting that better communication regarding naloxone is needed. More research is needed to identify barriers toward safe opioid prescription and i …

Only one in three patients with advanced cancer had an accurate understanding of their curability, with limited improvement over time. Systematic screening may provide opportunities to improve illness...

Hemoptysis is a distressing symptom for both patients and families at end of life (EOL). In the acute care setting, this can be managed surgically or medically. However, research regarding interventions, such as nebulized tranexamic acid (TA) and nebulized factor VIIa, for palliative management of h …

Relative to other analgesics, tramadol is neither superior nor inferior. There may exist a different safety profile and therefore an opportunity to provide individualized patient-centered treatment strategies focused on safety and quality of life.

Slow iv hydromorphone infusion resulted in similar abuse liability potential and pain improvement but less sedation than fast injection. These findings, taken together, suggest that the slow infusion may be considered as a first-line modality for iv opioid administration in hospitalized patients req …

During the study period, we observed a five-fold decline in opioid dose prescribed by oncologists for cancer pain. This raises concerns for undertreatment of pain in patients with cancer.

Financial Crises Bring Opportunities

Breaking free from prognostic paralysis in chronic advanced diseases

Opioids may impair the ability to drive especially when prescribed for the first time or when the dose is increased. Because driving is closely associated with independence and quality of life, discus...

Vaccine hesitancy is present among patients with advanced cancer. The high value given to the doctor's recommendation suggests that universal precautions regarding vaccine recommendation may be an effective intervention.

Premonition of Death

End-of-life care quality metrics in patients with cancer: challenges and opportunities

Despite the APCU mortality in this cohort being high, 22.4% of patients transferring from the ICU were successfully discharged to the community. HFNC use at the time of APCU transfer was independently associated with increased odds of APCU mortality.

Shift palliative skills upstream in primary care; adopt standardized tools; and measure quality outcomes.

This scoping review maps heterogeneous evidence characterized by inconsistent definitions, selected populations, short-term outcomes, and geographic concentration. Key knowledge gaps include: standardized operational definitions, patient-centered functional outcomes, long-term efficacy and safety da …

The use of the GWCG promoted reflection on participants' own EoL values and priorities, facilitating dialogue on sensitive topics. This self-reflective process can enhance participants' sensitivity to understanding what is essential to patients. Thus, the GWCG may contribute to more humanized, refle …

Artificial intelligence (AI) in health care is being rapidly adopted in perhaps one of the most rapid implementations of technology in medicine to date. Better thought of as augmented intelligence, as a tool that provides assistance to physicians and patients, many guidelines for its use have been i …

The delivery of optimal supportive care involves a family-focused perspective such as screening for parenting status and referrals to social work services to address the need of tangible resources and manage parenting-related distress.

Fentanyl Toxicity Related to Concomitant Use of Ciprofloxacin and its Effects as a CYP3A4 Inhibitor

The current results indicate a high frequency of an elevated risk of ADB among patients with cancer. Men and patients who have anxiety, financial distress, and a prior history of alcoholism/illicit drug use are at increased risk of ADB.

Among the over 21 million children with life-limiting conditions worldwide that would benefit annually from a pediatric palliative care (PPC) approach, more than eight million would need specialized PPC services. In the United States alone, more than 42,000 children die every year, half of them infa …

Oral immediate-release opioids are standard treatment for cancer breakthrough pain. However, information regarding treatment response to these commonly used opioids is limited. This study provides information that the vast majority of patients with advanced cancer, with adequately controlled backgro …

Hypovitaminosis D was highly prevalent among adult patients with cancer undergoing inpatient rehabilitation. Identified predictors, including relatively younger age and neurogenic bladder or bowel, may help guide targeted screening.

Managing Pain in Patients Receiving Palliative Cancer Care During the Opiophobia Epidemic

IntroductionJuvenile Huntington's disease (JHD) is a rare, severe neurodegenerative disorder with early onset, high symptom burden, and a predictable trajectory toward advanced disability and premature death. Despite this, goals-of-care (GOC) conversations and advance care planning are often delayed …

Opioids may impair the ability to drive especially when prescribed for the first time or when the dose is increased. Because driving is closely associated with independence and quality of life, discus...

Thrilled to see our work published! A modified #Delphistudy defining #qualityindicators for postgraduate palliative care programs. Endlessly grateful to every co-author for their dedication — this ...

A consensus-based set of 21 quality indicators for postgraduate academic programs in palliative care was developed, providing a structured framework for evaluation. The findings highlight a key challe...

Journal of Palliative Medicine: Notes from the Editor

Palliative care involvement was associated with an increase in symptom control medications and decrease in medications for comorbid conditions over time.

Nearly one-fourth of ED visits by patients with advanced cancer receiving palliative care were potentially avoidable. Proactive efforts to improve communication and support between scheduled appointme...

Body image dissatisfaction was frequent and associated with symptom burden. A single item ≤3 has a sensitivity of 70% for body image satisfaction screening.

Managing Pain in Patients Receiving Palliative Cancer Care During the Opiophobia Epidemic

ECOG PS assessments by PC specialists and nurses were significantly higher than those of medical oncologists. Systematic efforts to increase regular interdisciplinary communications may help to bridge...

Sixty-one percent of patients with a diagnosis of delirium by a palliative care specialist were missed by the primary referring team. Patients with MD were frequently referred for pain. Universal scre...

Despite the APCU mortality in this cohort being high, 22.4% of patients transferring from the ICU were successfully discharged to the community. HFNC use at the time of APCU transfer was independently...

Shift palliative skills upstream in primary care; adopt standardized tools; and measure quality outcomes.

Despite intensive management in APCUs, some cancer patients continue to experience high symptom burden as they approached death.

Despite intensive management in APCUs, some cancer patients continue to experience high symptom burden as they approached death.

Dual opioid therapy using methadone as a coanalgesic

Unexpected death occurred in an unexpectedly high proportion of patients in the APCU setting and was associated with fewer signs of impending death. Our findings highlight the need for palliative care...