Management of Intractable Symptoms in Oncologic Care

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Palliative Care
• Symptom Management

Background:

• Symptom management is integral to cancer care.
• Some cancer symptoms become intractable or refractory to standard treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review treatment options for severe, refractory cancer symptoms.
• To highlight advancements in managing challenging patient conditions.

Main Methods:

• Review of current medication options and guidelines.
• Discussion of interventional therapies for intractable pain.
• Exploration of interventions for malignant bowel obstruction and dyspnea.

Main Results:

• Improved medication regimens can manage chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
• Venting gastrostomy offers relief for malignant bowel obstruction in select patients.
• Opiates and interventional pain therapies show promise for refractory symptoms.

Conclusions:

• Refractory symptoms in cancer patients are manageable.
• Multimodal therapies delivered by interdisciplinary teams are most effective.