[The Current Status of Palliative Care for Cancer on a Questionnaire Survey]

We evaluated the current status of palliative care for cancer by questionnaire survey in 34 medical institutions belonging to the Hyogo Society for Oncology of the Colon and Rectum. Although 29 institutions(85%)had palliative care teams, the profiles of team members differed between the institutions. The inclusion rates of psychiatrists, nutritionists, medical social workers, clinical psychologists, and rehabilitation therapists was half or less. Ten institutions had some positive screening systems for objective patients. Consultation from a surgical or medical oncologist to a palliative care doctor was most frequently performed at the end of chemotherapy(46%)but was widely distributed from the beginning of chemotherapy to the period of best supportive care. Most institutes positively adopted surgical palliation and palliative radiotherapy as non-pharmacological options. While palliative care teams were prevalent in this survey, the systematic supply of palliative care may be under development with limited resources.