title: [Supportive, palliative care in lung cancer].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite recent advances, the prognosis of lung cancer (LC) remains poor and justifies the early introduction of palliative care (PC) and supportive care (SC). The objective of this paper is to describe the published data in this field.
  
  
  METHODS
  After definitions of PC and SC, the different types of study are depicted: randomized clinical trials (RCT) and observational studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the RCT (most often performed in the USA) have emphasised the importance of the early introduction of PC and SC (less aggressive treatments at the end of life, better quality of life). Observational studies are scarce. The one performed in France (ETOBSUP study) showed that PC and SC, in real life, have not reached the objectives of the National Cancer Institute.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All the studies agreed that PC and SC should be introduced as early as possible in patients with LC.
authors: Service de pathologie respiratoire, hôpital du Cluzeau, CHU de Limoges, 23, avenue D.-Larrey, 87042 Limoges cedex, France. alain.vergnenegre@unilim.fr
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Vergnenègre
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Terrier
mesh_terms: D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D059408:Pain Management; D010166:Palliative Care; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013727:Terminal Care