title: Concurrent Specialized Palliative Care Upon Initiation of First-Line Chemotherapy for Cancer Progression: Is It Early Enough?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of specialized palliative care (PC) administered at the time of administration of first-line chemotherapy for cancer progression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients who received regular specialist PC concomitantly with first-line chemotherapy after being diagnosed with progressive disease assigned to PC group. Patients transferred to palliative care unit (PCU) after discontinuation of chemotherapy were assigned to standard care (SC) group. We evaluated quality of palliative care using Support Team Assessment Schedule, quality of life (QOL) using Good Death Inventory, and short-term mortality in PCU.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 28 and 63 patients patients were assigned to PC and SC groups, respectively. Physical symptoms, anxiety, communication scores, and QOL scores were significantly higher in the PC group (P < .001). Short-term mortality (<14 days) was significantly higher in the SC group (P = .0005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This approach may facilitate high quality of PC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Palliative Care, Asahikawa Medical University Hospital, Asahikawa, Japan nakajy@dream.ocn.ne.jp.
authors.forename: Nobuhisa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.affiliation: Department of Palliative Care, Asahikawa Medical University Hospital, Asahikawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Abe
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001293:Attitude to Death; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D000070659:Patient Comfort / Q000458:organization & administration; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D011788:Quality of Life; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: Support Team Assessment Schedule; chemotherapy; early palliative care; end of life; neoplasms; quality of life