Gastrointestinal Malignancies
Gastrointestinal malignancies are the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the world. Before any management decisions are made with this patient population, it is critical to understand the patient’s expected overall…
Principles of Palliative Surgery
The old adage “a chance to cut is a chance to cure” is often used to characterize the primary motivation and attitude of most surgeons. Despite the commendable goal of…
Neurodegenerative Diseases
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) encompass an array of distinct illnesses with unique clinical manifestations, management strategies, and disease courses. Three specific diseases have been chosen for this chapter in an effort…
Kidney Failure
A textbook on palliative care would not be complete without a chapter on kidney disease. Palliative care is especially appropriate for patients with kidney disease who are undergoing dialysis because…
Heart Failure and Palliative Care
An 82-year-old woman who had not been to a physician in over 30 years was admitted to the hospital with fatigue and dyspnea. At home, she had been bedbound for…
Last Hours of Living
The death of someone close is never easy. No one can escape the experience of dying or death. Everyone at the dying person’s bedside will be watching the potential for…
Hematology/Oncology
Cancer survivors and their families face myriad challenges related to their disease and its treatment. This life-changing journey begins the moment they hear “cancer.” Palliative care of the oncology patient…
Understanding and Respecting Cultural Differences
Background and Significance Although death is universal, dying is very much a culturally specific experience. Culture refers to learned patterns of behaviors, beliefs, and values shared by individuals in a…
