title: Medical oncologist's commitment in end-of-life care of cancer patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cancer patients and family members can feel abandoned by their oncologist at the transition to end-of-life (eoL) care. In this study, we evaluated the level of satisfaction of family caregivers when the oncology team assisted the patient until death.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two oncology units were reorganized to ensure continuity of care; oncologists trained in palliative care medicine assisted patients until death. Relatives who assisted the patient at home or at an inpatient hospice underwent a semi-structured phone interview >1 month after the patient's death. Satisfaction was measured using a five-point Likert scale ranging from very dissatisfied (score 0) to very satisfied (score 100).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Relatives of 65 patients were contacted, 55 accepted the interview. Patients were followed at home (41) or at an inpatient hospice (14), for 1-24 weeks (median 3 weeks). A specific question on the relevance of the oncologist having a role in EoL care produced a score of 82. The overall satisfaction score was higher than in our previous study in which a continuity of care model was not adopted, with a score improvement from 55/100 to 84/100 (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A care program where the oncologist is involved in EoL management improved the satisfaction of caregivers of cancer patients. When a longstanding and trusting relationship has been established, the connection between the patient and the oncologist should not be lost.
authors.affiliation: Ospedale Augusto Murri,Fermo,Hospice di Montegranaro,Italy.
authors.forename: Romeo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bascioni
authors.affiliation: Ospedale Madonna del Soccorso,San Benedetto del Tronto,Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giorgi
authors.affiliation: Ospedale Augusto Murri,Fermo,Hospice di Montegranaro,Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Esperide
authors.affiliation: Ospedale Madonna del Soccorso,San Benedetto del Tronto,Italy.
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brugni
authors.affiliation: Ospedale Augusto Murri,Fermo,Hospice di Montegranaro,Italy.
authors.forename: Farnoosh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Basirat
authors.affiliation: Ospedale Augusto Murri,Fermo,Hospice di Montegranaro,Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rastelli
authors.affiliation: Ospedale Madonna del Soccorso,San Benedetto del Tronto,Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Signoribus
authors.affiliation: Ospedale Augusto Murri,Fermo,Hospice di Montegranaro,Italy.
authors.forename: Lucio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Giustini
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007558:Italy; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards*; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards*