title: Indications and use of palliative surgery-results of Society of Surgical Oncology survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite increasing attention to end-of-life care in oncology, palliative surgery (PS) remains poorly defined. A survey to test the definition, assess the extent of use, and evaluate attitudes and goals of surgeons regarding PS was devised.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey of Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO) members.
  
  
  RESULTS
  419 SSO members completed a 110-item survey. Surgeons estimated 21% of their cancer surgeries as palliative in nature. Forty-three percent of respondents felt PS was best defined based on pre-operative intent, 27% based on post-operative factors, and 30% on patient prognosis. Only 43% considered estimated patient survival time an important factor in defining PS, and 22% considered 5-year survival rate important. The vast majority (95%) considered tumor still evident following surgery in a patient with poor prognosis constituted PS. Most surgeons felt PS could be procedures due to generalized illness related to cancer (80%) or related to cancer treatment complications (76%). Patient symptom relief and pain relief were identified as the two most important goals in PS, with increased survival the least important.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PS is a major portion of surgical oncology practice. Quality-of-life parameters, not patient survival, were identified as the most important goals of PS.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Oncologic Surgery, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California 91010, USA. lmccahill@coh.org
authors.forename: Laurence E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: McCahill
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krouse
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Juarez
authors.forename: Gwen C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Uman
authors.forename: Betty
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ferrell
authors.forename: Lawrence D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Wagman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000592:standards*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000592:standards*; D011364:Professional Practice / Q000592:standards; D011788:Quality of Life; D012955:Societies, Medical / Q000592:standards*