Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
B.Sc. Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Mansoura University, Egypt
2
Professor of Medical-Surgical Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Mansoura University, Egypt
3
Lecturer of Medical-Surgical Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Mansoura University, Egypt
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma is a common cancer with a poor prognosis, associated with poor quality of life. While it is
frequently asymptomatic in the early stages, advanced disease, treatment side effects, or decompensation of underlying
cirrhosis can cause significant discomfort. Palliative care has been demonstrated to improve quality of life, physical
symptoms, and psychological symptoms in patients with end-stage liver disease, as well as extend survival in various
nonhepatocellular carcinoma cancers. However, in hepatocellular carcinoma, this service is underutilized, and referrals
are frequently delayed due to factors such as stigma, insufficient resources, a lack of education for nonpalliative care
physicians, and inadequate modeling for integrating palliative and supportive care within liver disease services. We
believe that incorporating palliative care within a multidisciplinary approach to care is a possible and beneficial
paradigm. This integration can be accomplished by the provision of specialty-level palliative care, particularly at certain
periods in the disease course, as well as the insertion of specific palliative care aspects into normal HCC care. Early
integration of palliative care revealed three major themes in the clinical approach to providing early palliative care for
cancer patients: symptom management; facilitation of coping, accepting, and planning; and assisting the patient in
improving medical understanding
Keywords
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