Palliative Care News

SALT LAKE CITY — Hematopoietic stem cell transplant physicians reported substantial concerns about palliative care clinicians’ knowledge about transplant, according to results of a cross-sectional, web-based survey presented at the BMT Tandem Meetings.

Supportive oncology — which aims to prevent or treat symptoms and side effects caused by treatment, and the psychological, social and physical issues related to a disease — can profoundly impact how well a patient responds to, complies with and benefits from medical treatment.

Patients with cancer at end of life who received assisted hydration survived nearly 1.5 days longer than those who did not receive fluids, according to study results.

Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center appointed seven people to leadership positions.

Patients with terminal cancer who underwent early integration of oncology and palliative care made greater use of approach-oriented coping strategies compared with those who received only standard cancer care, improving their quality of life and reducing depression, study data showed.

Prognostic discussions did not harm relationships between patients with cancer and physicians, and may have strengthened patient-oncologist relationships, according to recent findings.

ATLANTA — Although patients with leukemia dependent on transfusions appeared more likely to be referred to hospice care, median time on hospice was short, according to a population-based study presented at the ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition.

Tai chi chih appeared statistically noninferior to cognitive behavioral therapy for the long-term treatment of insomnia among breast cancer survivors, according to study results.

R . Sean Morrison, MD, has been appointed Ellen and Howard C. Katz chair of the Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Patients with advanced cancer discharged to postacute care or hospice demonstrated substantially greater symptom burdens and impaired physical function, as well as worse survival, than those discharged to home, study data showed.