‘Cancer is only going to be a chapter in your life, not make them the whole story of your life. Just Keep Fighting with it.
Caring for Cancer Patients
‘Once you choose hopes, anything’s possible’
At this year’s American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, 2 abstracts were presented which used as a large private insurance. These abstracts claim database to examine the patterns of care at end of life for patients with incurable cancer.
The Underutilized Care Facility for Cancer Patients
According to the abstract’s databases, the overall rates of any care in the final 30 days of life are very crucial for patients younger than 65. It is known that approximately one-third of patients with metastatic cancer died in the hospital. In addition to a high prevalence of care found in these studies, it is found that supportive, as well as palliative measures, appear to be significantly underutilized at the end of life. Less than 20% of patients received hospice care in the final 90 days of life, and only 40% of patients received any supportive care.
What Could Be Done To Calm Their Pain?
The results of these studies may not surprise you because of the difficulties in providing cancer care to patients near the end of life. Some facts are describing here-
- It is quite obvious when caring for metastatic cancer patients it is not possible to know exactly when a patient will die. In this case, providing supportive care to a patient with metastatic cancer may prolong their life.
- In some cases, it may be difficult to know when a patient is within the final 30 days of life, and therefore should no longer care measures.
- However, it is often apparent when therapies are no longer effective, and one might expect high rates of provision of palliative care and supportive measures near the end of life.
- Even, these studies cannot tell us is whether these practice patterns are patient-driven, physician-driven, or some combination of the two.
And What Exactly Could Be Done Right, When The End Is Near?
More work is needed to boost the cancer patients at the end-of-life with supportive care as well as palliative care. What to do? Okay, we are giving you the answer-
- Give them palliative care and do not keep them at home even when they are in so much pain. And the hospital rooms must be designed to help patients feel at home and comfortable, with doctors, nurses, therapists, and medical staff available around-the-clock to help treat pain, emotional distress, and other symptoms.
- Family and friends are the most important part of everyone’s life. So, in the last few days, they should be cared for by their relatives.
- Let him/her talk with you and let try to keep always themselves happy.
- Allow him/her to express their fears and concerns about dying to cope up with the situation at that time.
- Always support the person’s spirituality. Let them talk about what has meaning for them and pray with them if they’d like.
‘We should always keep in mind that our goal is to provide care that prolongs cancer patients’ lives, and not their deaths.’
