The importance of a home care program for patients with advanced cancer pain

At the Pain Clinic of the National Cancer Institute of Milan, a special Home Care Program has been set up to assist advanced cancer patients with pain and their families during their remaining survival. The Home Care Unit comprises a team of physician, nurse clinicians, psychologists and many volunteers who are active both in the hospital and at the patient's home. This entire operation provides a continuous relationship between the family, the patient and the Home Care Unit. This Home Care Program, which is one of a kind with other forms of treatment for advanced cancer patients (i.e. hospices), has produced interesting results. Out of a sample group of 50 patients, 33 were monitored at home by the Home Care Unit while 17 had their families to do the monitoring. Over a six-week period the following results were reported: a) Improvement of psycho-emotional factors such as anxiety, weakness and mood for both patients and their families who entered the Home Care Program. b) The Quality of Life Index remained unchanged for the sample group that entered the Home Care Program whereas it deteriorated for patients monitored by their families. c) A decrease in the Integrated Pain Score for both groups; however, results showed a statistically significant difference in favor of patients on the Home Care Program. d) The Performance Status decreased by very little over the study period, and there was little difference between the two groups. These results confirm the need for a Home Care Program which must go hand in hand with the Pain Clinic as an effective way to control Total Pain.