[Three patients with terminal gastric cancer who achieved good QOL through home hospice care]

In our G.I. department, patients with inoperable or recurrent cancer of the digestive organs are treated by chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. Since the efficacy of these modalities has been poor in our hospital as in others, we have attempted to maintain good quality of life (QOL) in these patients by offering hospice care in the hospital or at home. Home care is provided to those who choose not to have chemotherapy or do not respond well to it. These patients live within 20 km of the hospital and are cared for at home by a visiting nurse or through visits to our outpatient clinic. However, in the latter patients who do not have access to good public transportation, clinic visits are a hardship to both patients and their families even though they do well with home hospice care. Home hospice care is also difficult for those who do not have adequate family support available. We report here three patients with terminal gastric cancer who appeared to experience good QOL through home hospice care.