Chemotherapy and Palliative Care: One or the Other? Esther Lin Not so long ago, the terms “chemotherapy” and “palliative care’’ were not usually used in the same context, let alone in the same sentence. The two concepts were seen as opposing forces, leaving one to pick a side of the fence. The last few years have seen a significant shift in this way of thinking, with Jennifer Temel’s and team’s 2010 NEJM-published article on early introduction of palliative care in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer as one of the landmark papers. Propelled by the findings of improvement in not only mood and quality of life, but also in survival time, of those in the interventional arm, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) recommended that such patients be ‘’offered concurrent palliative care and standard oncologic care at initial diagnosis (of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer)’’. Substantial current evidence also shows improved outcomes, including better patient satisfaction and reduced caregiver burden, when palliative care was either combined with oncologic care, or given as the main focus. The resulting expert consensus was that combined standard oncology care and palliative care should be considered early in the course of illness for any patient with metastatic cancer and/or high symptom burden. Indeed, palliative care can truly complement oncologic care, whether it is managing symptoms of the disease or side effects of treatment, through to planning advance care and enrolling community support. Perhaps the fence can be taken down once and for all, and allow for greater collaboration for the patient’s best outcome.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 06:57:46 +0000
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