gossipify logo 1

Understand the importance of palliative care during cancer treatment


Multidisciplinary follow-up helps provide comfort and quality of life for patients

Cancer is characterized by the exaggerated and disordered growth of cells. In general, it is a disease that compromises the individual’s quality of life. In this case, palliative care may be indicated, as it offers a series of benefits to the patient during the period of living with the disease.




Palliative care improves the quality of life of cancer patients

But contrary to popular belief, this cure is recommended from the beginning of the treatment. “When we say ‘the patient is palliative’, it means there is nothing else to do. But that is wrong. Palliative care adds to the intensive treatments (such as radio or chemotherapy), so that the patient has a lighter path and a better quality of life,” explains oncologist Isabella Tavares. “And this extends to family members and caregivers,” completes the doctor.

What does “palliative” mean?

The word palliative comes from palliare, which means to protect. It comes from the Latin pallium, which refers to the protective cloak that the knights of the Crusades used to protect themselves from storms. This is the meaning evoked in palliative care.

Multidisciplinary treatment and follow-up

You treatments it can include medications, nutritional therapy, physical therapy and relaxation techniques, psychological support, and even emotional and spiritual counseling. In practice, the treatment relieves symptoms such as nausea, pain, fatigue, as well as helping to control the stress of cancer and deal with the emotional side of the disease. This includes a multidisciplinary team, with a doctor, nurse, social worker, nutritionist, psychologist, physiotherapist, speech therapist, pharmacist, dentist, for example.



Palliative treatment can be used at any stage of the disease.

Procedures for disease and symptom management

In case of cancer advanced lung disease, for example, thoracic oncologist Carlos Gil Ferreira explains that systemic treatment (chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapy), radiation therapy and surgery can be used palliatively to slow the spread of the disease and control symptoms such as pain or shortness of breath .

“If there is a buildup of fluid in the lungs, for example, different procedures can drain the fluid and help prevent it from building up again,” says the doctor, president of the Oncoclínicas Institute and the Brazilian Society of Oncology (SBOC) .

The oncologist says that the treatment can be used at any time to improve the patient’s quality of life and does not mean losing hope. “In fact, palliative care can help some people with advanced lung cancer do that live fulfilling lives with minimal symptoms for months or even years,” he says.

Benefits of palliative care

Isabella Tavares says people who receive palliative care have less pain, depression, nausea and shortness of breath, spend less time in intensive care and are less likely to return to the hospital. This was one of the reasons that led her to create the Overcoming Cancer Project, an orientation and support course for people living with and living with the disease. “The content was designed to bring safe information, in a welcoming way, making the process smoother not only for the patient, but also for healthcare professionals, family and friends,” says the doctor.

Indication of palliative care

The indication of palliative care is growing all over the world and various studies indicate that those who rely on these treatments have a more serene journey. Proof of this is that the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) recommends that all patients with cancer diagnosis patients are referred to a palliative care team within eight weeks of diagnosis.

By Nizza Castro

Source: Terra

You may also like

Hot News

TRENDING NEWS

SUBSCRIBE

Join our community of like-minded individuals and never miss out on important news and updates again.

follow us