Palliativpflege und Medizin

Abstrakt

Transforming the Lives of Patients and Caregivers: An Innovative Experiment Investigating Early Palliative Care in Advanced Cancer

Sophia Adams

The outcomes of a cluster-randomised controlled trial exploring the influence of early palliative care on patients with advanced cancer are presented in this article. The study sought to assess the impact of including palliative care with standard oncology therapy at an early stage of the disease's progression. The trial used a cluster-randomised design, with oncology clinics randomly allocated to either the early palliative care intervention or the control group. Quality of life, symptom load, and healthcare use were among the major outcomes evaluated. Patient and carer satisfaction, mood, and survival were all secondary outcomes. The trial's findings shed light on the benefits of early palliative care for patients with advanced cancer, emphasising the need of including palliative care early in the treatment process.