Symptom control in stem cell transplantation: a multidisciplinary palliative care team approach. Part 1: Physical symptoms.
Stem cell transplantation (SCT) offers a potential cure for patients with otherwise incurable benign and malignant disorders, but the arduous SCT process may cause considerable physical, social, psychological, and spiritual suffering. Relief of suffering associated with SCT begins by understanding the patient experience and the SCT culture. Symptom burden is the combined impact of all disease- or therapy-related symptoms on the patient's ability to function. In approaching symptom management, the division between physical and psychological symptoms is blurred; physical symptoms are often interrelated with the patient's emotional status and social support. Physical symptoms that frequently occur in SCT include pain, nausea, mucositis, diarrhea, and delirium. At the same time, SCT is recognized as one of the most stressful treatments in modern cancer care, resulting in psychological distress, social isolation, and role changes. Psychological symptoms include depression/ anxiety, grief/loss, demoralization, and anger. Based on our experience on an academic SCT ward for adults, we review physical, psychological, social, and spiritual symptoms during the course of SCT in a two-part series and offer an approach to their management. This month, in part I, we focus on physical symptoms linked to SCT. In a future issue, part II will highlight psychosocial concerns in SCT.
Roeland
Eric
E
Doris A. Howell Service, Patient and Family Support Services, Moores UCSD Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego Medical Center, La Jolla, California 92093-0658, USA.
Mitchell
William
W
Elia
Giovanni
G
Thornberry
Kathryn
K
Herman
Heather
H
Cain
Julia
J
Atayee
Rabia
R
Bardwell
Wayne
W
von Gunten
Charles F
CF
D000855:Anorexia / Q000628:therapy; D000932:Antiemetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003693:Delirium / Q000188:drug therapy; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000628:therapy; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000628:therapy; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D052016:Mucositis / Q000188:drug therapy; D009325:Nausea / Q000188:drug therapy; D059408:Pain Management; D010166:Palliative Care
D000932:Antiemetics