Article
Oncology
Emily E. Johnston, Isaac Martinez, Joanne Wolfe, Steven M. Asch
Summary: An expert panel has developed 16 endorsed quality measures for end-of-life care in pediatric oncology, covering areas such as avoidance of medically intense care, death location preference, hospital policies/programs, and supportive care services. These measures require validation with bereaved families and further refinement before being implemented in real-world settings.
Article
Oncology
Emily E. Johnston, Isaac Martinez, Joanne Wolfe, Steven M. Asch
Summary: An expert panel has recommended a series of quality measures for end-of-life care in pediatric oncology, including avoidance of medically intense care, death location preferences, hospital policies/programs, and supportive care services.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Yang Chen, Jianjun Jiang, Wei Peng, Chuan Zhang
Summary: Palliative sedation is effective in relieving complex pain symptoms in children at the end of life without shortening the hospitalization time.
BMC PALLIATIVE CARE
(2022)
Editorial Material
Oncology
Adam Rapoport, Sumit Gupta
Summary: Children and adolescents with hematologic malignancies consistently receive higher rates of aggressive care at the end of life, prompting clinicians and researchers to focus on reducing this disparity.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Madelon T. Heijltjes, Ghislaine J. M. W. van Thiel, Judith A. C. Rietjens, Agnes van der Heide, Geeske Hendriksen, Johannes J. M. van Delden
Summary: The use of continuous deep sedation (CDS) in the Netherlands has been increasing, and this study aims to explore the perceptions of healthcare providers regarding the reasons behind this rise.
BMC PALLIATIVE CARE
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Prasanna Ananth, Meghan Lindsay, Russell Nye, Sophia Mun, Chris Feudtner, Joanne Wolfe
Summary: This study examines the application of quality measures for end-of-life care in children with cancer. The findings show that while most patients met the quality benchmarks, many still experienced highly distressing symptoms. Additionally, patients with lower household incomes were less likely to enroll in hospice and more likely to receive intensive hospital services near the end of life.
PEDIATRIC BLOOD & CANCER
(2022)
Review
Anesthesiology
A. Takla, J. Savulescu, D. J. C. Wilkinson, J. J. Pandit
Summary: This article describes the extension of general anaesthesia beyond surgical use to alleviate end-of-life suffering. It discusses the challenges of managing symptoms and ethical considerations, highlighting the need for a clear multidisciplinary framework for the use of general anaesthesia in end-of-life care.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Prasanna Ananth, Meghan Lindsay, Sophia Mun, Sarah McCollum, Veronika Shabanova, Sophia de Oliveira, Sarah Pitafi, Rebecca Kirch, Xiaomei Ma, Cary P. Gross, Jackelyn Y. Boyden, Chris Feudtner, Joanne Wolfe
Summary: This study aimed to prioritize quality measures in end-of-life care for children with cancer based on the perspectives of bereaved parents. The highest-priority measures identified were effective symptom management, perceived attentiveness by the healthcare team to the child's needs, and goal-concordant end-of-life experiences. On the other hand, avoiding chemotherapy, providing psychosocial support for parents, and avoiding intensive care unit utilization were considered low-priority measures.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Prasanna Ananth, Sophia Mun, Noora Reffat, Randall Li, Tannaz Sedghi, Madeline Avery, Jennifer Snaman, Cary P. Gross, Xiaomei Ma, Joanne Wolfe
Summary: Stakeholders in childhood cancer care prioritize direct communication with children, interdisciplinary care, symptom management, and honoring family preference for location of death. Access to emergency department or hospital for supportive care is valued by many, but most wish to avoid mechanical ventilation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
JOURNAL OF PAIN AND SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Education, Scientific Disciplines
Naomi Takemura, Daniel Yee Tak Fong, Chia-Chin Lin
Summary: Promoting palliative home care can relieve hospital burden and provide good deaths in Hong Kong, where the majority of deaths occur in public hospitals. It is important to educate and train nurses in home care settings to improve their quality of work, orientation toward dying and death, and self-competence in death work.
NURSE EDUCATION TODAY
(2022)
Review
Oncology
Seung Hun Lee, Jung Hye Kwon, Young-Woong Won, Jung Hun Kang
Summary: Although palliative sedation is common in Western countries, there is limited research on its practice in Korea. Unlike euthanasia, palliative sedation is ethically and legally accepted in Korea. Studies suggest that palliative sedation does not decrease the survival of terminal cancer patients. Shared decision-making and open communication are crucial in the preference for palliative sedation.
CANCER RESEARCH AND TREATMENT
(2022)
Article
Pediatrics
Kimberley Widger, Sarah Brennenstuhl, Katherine E. Nelson, Hsien Seow, Adam Rapoport, Harold Siden, Christina Vadeboncoeur, Sumit Gupta, Peter Tanuseputro
Summary: Research shows that children with life-threatening conditions, especially those with non-cancer diagnoses, often receive high intensity end-of-life care. Age, disease type, socioeconomic status, and distance to a tertiary hospital can affect the care provided. Additionally, children with non-cancer diagnoses and those living far from a tertiary hospital are more likely to have multiple hospitalizations in the last 30 days of life.
Article
Pediatrics
Andreia Nogueira, Diana Correia, Marisa Loureiro, Barbara Gomes, Candida Cancelinha
Summary: Early implementation of pediatric palliative care optimizes hospital resource utilization, reduces invasive procedures and therapies, and develops effective and sustainable alternatives better suited to the needs of children and families.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS
(2022)
Editorial Material
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Nele Julienne Van den Noortgate, Lieve Van den Block
Summary: Although many older people will live longer in good health, some will face frailty and serious illnesses in their last years. The end-of-life care for frail older people requires an integrated approach, taking into account geriatric and rehabilitative care. Person-centered care planning and involvement of families, communities, and society are crucial.
Article
Oncology
Sophia Mun, Rong Wang, Xiaomei Ma, Prasanna Ananth
Summary: A majority of children, adolescents, and young adults with hematologic malignancies experienced high-intensity end-of-life care (HI-EOLC), with hospital size, type of insurance, and geographic region influencing the likelihood of HI-EOLC. Further research is needed to determine how to mitigate these risks.