Aggarwal Ghauri, Glare Paul, Clarke Stephen, Chapuis Pierreh
Department of Palliative Care, Concord Hospital, Concord, New South Wales, Australia.
ANZ J Surg. 2006 Mar;76(3):175-80. doi: 10.1111/j.1445-2197.2006.03675.x.
Approximately 50% of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) will eventually die of metastatic disease. Effective palliative management can be used within a shared care model in CRC to provide optimum symptom control, psychological well-being and maintenance of quality of life for patients, their families and carers, including bereavement support. Maintenance of realistic hope and early goal setting are equally important in end-of-life discussions with patients and families. Palliative care should be incorporated early in the course of the illness, concurrent with disease-modifying therapies. Within shared care, the palliative medicine specialist, surgeon and other members of the multidisciplinary team can each bring their own expertise to provide a patient-centred approach. A case is presented that incorporates some of these principles and exemplifies the benefits of contemporary palliative care for patients with advanced CRC.
