Palliative care and the hemato-oncological patient: Can we live together? A review of the literature

Abstract

Current evidence suggests that patients with hematological malignancies less frequently access palliative care services, and for those who do, this tends to occur later in their illness than their counterparts with solid malignancies. These patients are also more likely to die in hospital following escalating interventions. This approach to care that considers palliative care referral after most treatments are exhausted has implications for the quality of palliative care intervention possible. An episodic approach engaging palliative care according to needs rather than prognosis may be more valuable. The successful integration of palliative care into the care of hemato-oncological patients r..