Setting up a palliative care clinic within a radiotherapy department: a model for developing countries

Nearly 50% of all newly diagnosed cancer patients in India (and other developing countries) are terminally ill with advanced disease. These patients are usually neglected or often receive futile anticancer treatment(s), whereas what they really need is maximum medical management in the form of palliative care and psychosocial support. Since advanced and incurable cancer cases are mostly referred for radiotherapy (RT), a palliative care (PC) clinic was started in the Department of Radiotherapy, PGIMER, Chandigarh. The PC clinic staff consisted of one specialist doctor, a nurse and volunteers. Previous disease and treatment records maintained by the RT colleagues were noted. Proforma-based assessments were done in the PC clinic and focused on patients' Karnofsky Performance Status, physical symptoms, drugs prescribed, and the doctor's or patient's/relative's response to/satisfaction with the treatment in each case. Prospective data on 100 patients (March to August 2001) revealed that various distressing physical symptoms (cachexia, dyspnoea, constipation) had not been routinely assessed earlier. Despite previous treatment, adequate pain management as per the WHO ladder was needed in 67 of 88 (76%) patients when they were seen by the PC team. On the regular follow-up visits to the PC clinic, 42% and 50% of the patients/relatives reported a response to and satisfaction with the treatment at their second and third visits. We believe two conclusions are justified. (1) Attention to palliative care needs could result in good treatment outcome and high level of patients' and doctors' satisfaction. (2) Since a specialist PC set-up is lacking in most medical institutions in India, the RT department is the best suited to delivery of palliative care for patients with advanced cancer.