Examining ethical dilemmas as obstacles to hospice and palliative care for advanced cancer patients

Oncologists deal almost exclusively with patients with serious and life-threatening diseases, many who are terminally ill. While hospice care remains an ideal model of care for cancer patients with life-ending disease, many obstacles are present in the clinical setting that either impede or prevent the otherwise appropriate referral of patients eligible for this type of end-of-life care. These obstacles are best viewed as ethical dilemmas for oncology clinicians, as they often challenge or obscure a clinician's perceptions about what is in the best interests of their advanced cancer patients. These dilemmas include: Issues surrounding prognosis determination and communication, Concerns about effectively communicating a terminal prognosis while still allowing patients and families to maintain hope, Conflicts of interests for involved clinicians and, Potential problems of the current reimbursement mechanisms for hospice which may be inadequate to meet the needs of all dying cancer patients. For oncologists caring for advanced cancer patients, it is essential that they have a working knowledge regarding these ethical issues, and overt dilemmas, present in end-of-life cancer care in order that they might better appreciate how, and when, to initiate palliative and hospice care for as many of their patients as possible.