Evaluation of a new hospice: the relief of symptoms in cancer patients in the first year

Abstract

The relief of three common symptoms, pain, nausea and vomiting is described in cancer patients admitted to St John's Hospice, Lancaster in its first year. Of 256 evaluable admissions, 132 (53%) were in pain whilst 214 (84%) were taking analgesics of whom 112 (52%) were taking opiates. At discharge or death, the values were 19 (7.5%), 182 (71 %) and 169 (91 %) respectively. Nausea, vomiting or both were present in 76 (30%) patients on admission whilst 77 (30%) were taking antiemetics. At discharge or death the values were 23 (9%) and 80 (31 %) respectively. These findings indicate the extent to which the new hospice has contributed to the relief of symptoms in patients with advanced cancer.

Home palliative care for terminal cancer patients: a survey on the final week of life

“…The organization of many Italian home PCUs does not allow for meeting all the needs of terminally ill patients: for some of these patients the best option would probably be the admission to an inpatient hospice. • Only a few health care professionals experienced high levels of anxiety (2% with a score of [3][4]. An explanation could be high personal motivation (very important in the Italian palliative care setting).…”

“…In England and Ireland, 70% of 695 cancer patients experienced pain at referral, although this had significantly reduced after 2 weeks of care. 3 McIllmurray and Warren 4 in their study on 256 UK hospice patients found that 7% of patients experienced pain and 9% nausea and vomiting during the final days of life. In New Zealand, Lichter and Hunt 5 reported that 51% of patients had pain, 22% dyspnoea and 14% nausea and vomiting during the final 48 h of life.…”

The dying patient

“…Five to 51% of patients are reported to have pain in the last 2 days of life. Pain is well controlled in 80% to 90% [6•, 8,10,30]. Some investigators report that pain and the use of opioids increase as death approaches [7•,14,31], but this is not universal [8,9,10,32].…”

“…Nausea and vomiting occur in up to 71% of terminally ill patients [9] but in only 10% to 14% of patients during the last 24 to 48 hours of life [8,30]. They are rarely new symptoms [6•] and are well controlled in over 90% [8,14].…”

Quality of Life Using the Korean Version of McMaster Quality of Life Scale in Hospice and Palliative Care Patients

“…삶의 질 도구는 서로 다른 문화에서 광범위하게 사용되고 있기 때문에 교차문화적인 차이에도 불구하고 동등하게 삶 의 질 측면을 측정 할 수 있도록 검증되어야 하며 (10), 최근 들어서 도구의 타당성을 검증한 국내의 연구들이 늘고 있다 (11)(12)(13). 과거의 말기암환자를 위한 삶의 질 측정도구를 살펴 보면 다차원적인 측면이 반영되지 않고 한 가지 또는 두 가지 차원을 측정하거나 임시방편의 방법으로 사용 된 것이 보고되었다 (14,15). 그러나 최근에 와서 삶의 질 은 복합적이고 다양한 측면의 개념으로 인식되고 있다 (16).…”