Gahr S, Brunner S, Heckel M, Ostgathe C (2023)
Publication Type: Journal article, Review article
Publication year: 2023
DOI: 10.1055/a-2054-1201
Background/Objective Finding the right time for offering specialized palliative care to patients with incurable cancer remains challenging. The aim of the scoping review was to identify appropriate entity-specific criteria. Method A scoping review was conducted in the online databases PubMed and Scopus in February 2020. The aim of the literature search was to identify original English- and German-language papers published between 2009 and February 2020 providing evidence on which entity-specific and entity-independent criteria of non- curable cancers are used to integrate affected patients into specialized palliative care in a timely manner. A total of 13 relevant articles were identified. In accordance with the method of the scoping review, a formal assessment of the methodological quality of the included literature was not performed. Results The relevant publications included six reviews and seven original articles. None of the publications analysed explicitly cited characteristic criteria related to specific cancer entities. Incurability/advanced tumour disease, quality of life, distressing symptoms, ECOG status, psychosocial needs, comorbidities, tumour-associated complications, treatment decision/ no treatment options, and limited lifetime prognosis were used or suggested as criteria for integration into specialized palliative care independently of cancer entity. Tools were used to elicit the criteria. No specific characteristic scores were specified for the tools that could detect an expression of the criteria relevant for integration into specialized palliative care. Conclusion To determine the moment of timely integration of specialized palliative care for non-curable cancers, there are no entity-specific criteria and parameters to date. However, it can be deduced from the analysis that all patients with a non-curable or advanced cancer suffering from a reduction/loss of their quality of life and a complex symptom burden, especially depression and pain, should receive the offer of specialized palliative care, irrespective of their entity. Defining criteria in general as characteristic values and consecutively defining a measured value or cutoff value could be a possibility to facilitate a timely integration of palliative care via e. g., a scoring system. So far, it is unclear which combinations of survey instruments or screening tools could serve to capture timely integration.
APA:
Gahr, S., Brunner, S., Heckel, M., & Ostgathe, C. (2023). Are There Entity-Specific Criteria for Initiation of Specialized Palliative Care for Incurable Cancer? A Scoping Review. Zeitschrift für Palliativmedizin. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-2054-1201
MLA:
Gahr, Susanne, et al. "Are There Entity-Specific Criteria for Initiation of Specialized Palliative Care for Incurable Cancer? A Scoping Review." Zeitschrift für Palliativmedizin (2023).
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