[The last phase in the progressive neoplasic disease: care at the end-of-life, refractory symptoms and sedation].
End-of-life is one of the most stressful phases during course of a neoplasic disease. Frequently, death of patients with cancer comes after a continuous and progressive physical impairment. As death approaches, the medical team might redefine outcomes and treat as priority symptoms and relief suffering. That care encompasses the physical, psychological, social, spiritual, and existential needs of patients and their families. However, symptoms are frequently observed that are intolerable for the patient and which do not respond to usual palliative measures. The intolerable nature and being refractory to treatment indicates to the health-care team, on many occasions, the need for sedation of the patient. The medical team can take comfort in the knowledge that they did their best to provide safe passage to all their patients and that, although they did not always cure them, the patients often were healed.
González Barón
Manuel
M
Cátedra de Oncología Médica y Medicina Paliativa, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, España.
Gómez Raposo
César
C
Vilches Aguirre
Yolanda
Y
D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001293:Attitude to Death; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology; D010166:Palliative Care; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000379:methods*; D019452:Terminally Ill / Q000523:psychology
D000700:Analgesics; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives