Palliative Care Consultation, Quality-of-Life Measurements, and Bereavement for End-of-Life Care in Patients With Lung Cancer*

Palliative Care Consultation, Quality-of-Life Measurements, and Bereavement for End-of-Life Care in Patients With Lung Cancer*Objective: To develop clinical practice guidelines for application of palliative care consultation,quality-of-life measurements, and appropriate bereavement activities for patients with lungcancer.Methods: To review the pertinent medical literature on palliative care consultation, quality-of-life measurements, and bereavement for patients with lung cancer, developing multidisciplinarydiscussions with authorities in these areas, and evolving written guidelines for end-of-life care ofthese patients.Results: Palliative care consultation has developed into a new specialty with credentialing ofexperts in this field based on extensive experience with patients in end-of-life circumstancesincluding those with lung cancer. Bereavement studies of the physical and emotional morbidityof family members and caregivers before, during, and after the death of a cancer patient havesupported truthful communication, consideration of psychological problems, effective palliativecare, understanding of the patient’s spiritual and cultural background, and sufficient forewarningof impending death.Conclusion: Multidisciplinary investigations and experiences, with emphasis on consultation anddelivery of palliative care, timely use of quality-of-life measurements for morbidities of treatmentmodalities and prognosis, and an understanding of the multifaceted complexities of the bereavementprocess, have clarified additional responsibilities of the attending physician.(CHEST 2007; 132:404S–422S)
Publicado por David Muñoz Carmona en 11:57 0 comentarios
Etiquetas: lung cancer, quality of life