Palliative Care News

“I want you to be honest with me — how long do I have left?”

It’s the news no patient with cancer wants to hear: There’s nothing more we can do for you.

A medical student said she looks forward to learning more about oncology and clinical practice after leading a retrospective study that showed racial and ethnic disparities in end-of-life care among patients with metastatic cancer.

Individuals who used or abused opioids were significantly more likely to receive sedating medications, including benzodiazepines, than those who did not use opioids, data show.

Several researchers and global oncology leaders received ASCO’s Special Awards, the society’s highest honors.

Evidence consistently reveals that patients with cancer are at heightened risk for distress, which can adversely impact their health-related quality of life and plays a role in overall patient survival. However, despite this evidence, psychosocial distress remains underrecognized by oncology clinicians who lack time and desire brief psychosocial assessments rather than lengthy clinical assessment interviews.

During the past 2 decades, addressing the psychosocial needs of patients with cancer has become recognized as a crucial component of treatment, but experts said work remains to fully integrate mental health into routine cancer care.

Betty Ferrell, PhD, MA, CHPN, FAAN, FPCN, received Oncology Nursing Society’s 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award.

Malignant bowel obstruction is a common and serious complication that occurs most frequently in patients with advanced gastrointestinal and gynecologic cancers.

Electroacupuncture and auricular acupuncture led to greater pain reductions than usual care among cancer survivors with chronic musculoskeletal pain, according to results of a randomized clinical trial published in JAMA Oncology.