Don’t propose any type of palliative chemotherapy in the end-of-life setting.

Don’t propose any type of palliative chemotherapy in the end-of-life setting.

Type of practice

Drugs

Age

Adult, Geriatric, Pediatric

Topic Area

Clinical Pharmacy and Therapy

The results of numerous prospective clinical studies indicate that chemotherapy administered to patients with metastatic cancer in their last 30 days of life is ineffective and leads, particularly in the last week of life, to an increased utilization of intensive care (e.g. cardiopulmonary resuscitation or mechanical ventilation). Although this chemotherapy in the end-of-life setting worsens quality of life, it is currently practiced in 20-50% of patients with metastatic cancer.

Sources

1. Wright AA, Zhang B, Keating NL, Weeks JC, Prigerson HG. Associations between palliative chemoterapy and adult cancer patients’ end of life and place of death: prospective cohort study. BMJ 2014 Mar 4;348:g1219, URL http://www.bmj.com/content/348/bmj.g1219.

Attention. Please note that these items are provided only for information and are not intended as a substitute for consultation with a clinician. Patients with any specific questions about the items on this list or their individual situation should consult their clinician.