QuoteReplyTopic: New guidelines from ASCO Posted: Feb 07 2012 at 10:41am
Dear TNBC Family,
this is long overdue and I am delighted ASCO is addressing this.
warmly,
Steve
Dear Patient Advocate,
Yesterday, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) issued a provisional clinical opinion recommending thatpalliative care be offered along with treatment to slow, stop, or eliminate cancer for patients diagnosed with metastatic disease (cancer that has spread) and for those who have many or severe symptoms. A provisional clinical opinion offers direction to doctors and others who treat people with cancer after the publication or presentation of information that could change testing or treatment decisions. This provisional clinical opinion was issued because researchers have seen that when palliative care is combined with treatment for cancer, patients often have less severe symptoms, a better quality of life, and report that they are more satisfied with treatment.
To learn more about this provisional clinical opinion from ASCO and understand what it means for patients, please visit Cancer.Net.
For more information on palliative care and caregiving, visit:
Thank you for helping ASCO and Cancer.Net promote this important information to patients, survivors, and their families and friends. To request permission to reprint these resources, please contact us at permissions@asco.org.
I am a BRCA1+ grandson, son and father of women affected by breast/oc-my daughter inherited mutation from me, and at 36, was dx 2004 TNBC I am a volunteer patient advocate with SAGE Patient Advocates
Lump found 11/08 DX: 2/09 @52 TNBC L. Mast. 3/26/09, SN-, BRCA-, 4.5 cm (post surgical)T2NOMO Chemo: 4/09-10/09 Taxol x 12, A/C x 4, No rad.No recon. NED 1/17. New Primary right breast TN, 2/2018.
Linda - diagnosed at age 62
Diag 2/23/09 IDC 1.2 cent. IDC right breast,Stage 1, Grade 3,0/1 nodes - Triple Neg
4 DD AC every two weeks, 1 Dd Taxol, then 3 Taxotere every three weeks - rads x 33
While a survival benefit from early involvement of palliative care has not yet been demonstrated in other oncology settings, substantial evidence demonstrates that palliative care–when combined with standard cancer care or as the main focus of care–leads to better patient and caregiver outcomes. These include improvement in symptoms, QOL, and patient satisfaction, with reduced caregiver burden.
Therefore, it is the Panel's expert consensus that combined standard oncology care and palliative care should be considered early in the course of illness for any patient with metastatic cancer and/or high symptom burden.
I have spoken to several palliative care specialists about the new guidelines. I would say that they are cautiously optimistic that more oncologists will refer patients to palliative/supportive care services. Evidently, similar reports have come out before and guidelines issued but unfortunately many oncologists want to micro-manage everything and do not like losing ‘control’ of the patient.
I do believe as there is more awareness folks will use supportive care services especially if they give their physicians the above abstract. If you wait for your oncologist to suggest supportive care services you may have a long wait. But if you are proactive I believe more oncologists will be on board.
Pain management issues are very important in all of this. The key, I think, is to be open with your palliative care/pain management physician. Traditionally, many patients may be started on a low dose of a strong pain killer to see how the patient tolerates the drug. But if the pain persists, let the physician know and most likely the dose will be increased. In my unprofessional view, it is unnecessary to live with crushing pain when you have cancer and the side effects are severe. You may be able to get some help and unfortunately constipation becomes an issue with the drugs used for pain management and again, the supportive care professionals should be able to help with that as well.
warmly,
Steve
Edited by steve - Mar 23 2012 at 11:43am
I am a BRCA1+ grandson, son and father of women affected by breast/oc-my daughter inherited mutation from me, and at 36, was dx 2004 TNBC I am a volunteer patient advocate with SAGE Patient Advocates
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