“While improving survival is the oncologist’s primary goal, helping individuals live their final days in comfort and dignity is one of the most important responsibilities of our profession,” said ASCO President George W. Sledge, Jr., MD. “Patients have a right to make informed choices about their care. Oncologists must lead the way in discussing the full range of curative and palliative therapies to ensure that patients’ choices are honored.”A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine last year showed that patients with advanced lung cancer who received palliative care early lived nearly three months longer than patients receiving standard treatments, despite the fact that they frequently requested fewer aggressive treatments.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Candid Discussions about Palliative Care with Advanced Cancer Patients Urged
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) released a policy statement recommending physicians engage patients in talks about palliative care and treatment options soon after their advanced cancer diagnosis.
