Dyspnea is among the most distressing symptoms in the last weeks to days of life (terminal dyspnea). While physicians frequently use parenteral opioids other than morphine for terminal dyspnea, little is known about their effects in cancer patients.

This quality improvement project aimed to transition completion of Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) at our Supportive Care Clinic from paper to electronic format.

Palliative care teams offer holistic care for patients experiencing serious illness and related suffering, nevertheless, there are times when clinicians are asked by patients for help to obtain assisted dying. Patients in a growing number of areas may be eligible to request medically administered or self-administered lethal medications to control the timing of death and palliative care practices,…

Dissecting Pathological Joking

To the Editor,

Pain is distressing for women with breast cancer. Pain medication may not provide full relief and can have negative side-effects. Cognitive-behavioral pain intervention protocols reduce pain severity and improve self-efficacy for pain management. These interventions’ impact on pain medication use is less clear. Intervention length and coping skills use might play a role in pain outcomes.

Although psychiatric comorbidities are common among individuals at end of life, their impact on outcomes is poorly understood.

: Palliative care is guideline-recommended for patients with advanced heart failure (HF). However, studies on how cardiac palliative care is provided in the United States (US) are lacking.