title: Comfort measures: practical care of the dying cancer patient.
abstract: Most patients with advanced malignancy will die of their disease. Care of the dying is therefore a fundamental skill for the oncologist. Although protocols exist in other countries, there is no established protocol in the United States. We present a protocol for management of the dying that is clinically useful and review the existing evidence-base.
authors.affiliation: The Harry R. Horvitz Center for Palliative Medicine, Department of Solid Tumor Oncology, Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute, USA. legrans@ccf.org
authors.forename: Susan B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: LeGrand
authors.forename: Declan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Walsh
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010148:Intractable Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D010347:Patient Care Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011788:Quality of Life; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid