Lack of Palliative Mortality Prediction Tools for People with a Hematological Malignancy: Call for Action (Letter)
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Author(s)
Button, Elise
Chan, Raymond
Chambers, Shirley
Butler, Jason
Yates, Patsy
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
2017
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Show full item recordAbstract
A substantial body of literature highlights the challenges that exist providing palliative and end-of-life care for people with a hematological malignancy. This group of patients commonly: 1) receive aggressive care close to the end of life (such as chemotherapy administration, emergency admissions, intensive care unit admissions), 2) die in hospital; and 3) have palliative care integrated later and less often compared to their solid tumor counterparts. Amongst other issues, a significant problem is reported to be difficulties in accurately predicting mortality at the end of life for these patients due to a fluctuating and ...
View more >A substantial body of literature highlights the challenges that exist providing palliative and end-of-life care for people with a hematological malignancy. This group of patients commonly: 1) receive aggressive care close to the end of life (such as chemotherapy administration, emergency admissions, intensive care unit admissions), 2) die in hospital; and 3) have palliative care integrated later and less often compared to their solid tumor counterparts. Amongst other issues, a significant problem is reported to be difficulties in accurately predicting mortality at the end of life for these patients due to a fluctuating and unpredictable illness trajectory. There can often be potential for cure in the face of critical illness or advanced disease. People with a hematological malignancy who are nearing the end of their life can experience a swift change in the goals of care from curative or life-prolonging, to palliative.
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View more >A substantial body of literature highlights the challenges that exist providing palliative and end-of-life care for people with a hematological malignancy. This group of patients commonly: 1) receive aggressive care close to the end of life (such as chemotherapy administration, emergency admissions, intensive care unit admissions), 2) die in hospital; and 3) have palliative care integrated later and less often compared to their solid tumor counterparts. Amongst other issues, a significant problem is reported to be difficulties in accurately predicting mortality at the end of life for these patients due to a fluctuating and unpredictable illness trajectory. There can often be potential for cure in the face of critical illness or advanced disease. People with a hematological malignancy who are nearing the end of their life can experience a swift change in the goals of care from curative or life-prolonging, to palliative.
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Journal Title
Journal of Palliative Medicine
Volume
20
Issue
8
Copyright Statement
This is a copy of an article published in the Journal of Palliative Medicine. Copyright 2017 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. Final publication is available from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers https://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2017.0024
Subject
Clinical sciences
Nursing
Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Health Care Sciences & Services
CARE