ArticleSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2005
Symptoms, treatment and "dying peacefully" in terminally ill cancer patients: a prospective study.
Article in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2005. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 55 citations in OpenAlex.
- Loneliness among adults at the end of life: A systematic review of prevalence and correlates.Palliative medicine · 2026Pooled it
- Existential loneliness and end-of-life care: a systematic review.Theoretical medicine and bioethics · 2010Pooled it
- Article
- Peaceful dying among Canada's elderly: An analysis of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.PloS one · 2025Article
- Recognising dying in motor neurone disease: A scoping review.Palliative medicine · 2024Article
- Continuous deep sedation at the end of life: a qualitative interview-study among health care providers on an evolving practice.BMC palliative care · 2023Article
- [Preclinical patient transport at the end of life].Die Anaesthesiologie · 2023Article
- Muslim physicians and palliative care: attitudes towards the use of palliative sedation.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2018Article
- Diagnosing dying: an integrative literature review.BMJ supportive & palliative care · 2014Review
- Clinical signs of impending death in cancer patients.The oncologist · 2014Article
- Prehospital emergency treatment of palliative care patients with cardiac arrest: a retrolective investigation.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2010Article
- End-of-life experiences in adolescents dying with cancer.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2010Article
- [Emergency outpatient palliative care in acute situations by paramedics].Wiener klinische Wochenschrift · 2008Article
- Fluctuating awareness of treatment goals among patients and their caregivers: a longitudinal study of a dynamic process.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2007Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
goalsThe aims of this study were to describe the symptoms, their treatment during the final months of life of terminally ill cancer patients and to assess characteristics of the dying process. PATIENTS AND
methodsWe used a prospective study design. From a representative sample of physicians who participated in a study of end-of-life decision making, we asked whether they were treating a patient with cancer whose treatment was no longer aimed at cure, whose life expectancy was probably longer than 1 week but no longer than 3 months and who would probably continue to be treated by the same physician until their death; 85 physicians completed a monthly questionnaire until patients' deaths.
resultsPatients were confronted with an increasing amount of symptoms during the final months of their life. Fatigue, loss of appetite, dependency and feeling unwell were the most prevalent symptoms. Physical symptoms were more often treated than psychosocial symptoms. The number of medical disciplines involved in the patient's care decreased in the period before death, but the number of informal caregivers increased; 73% of patients died peacefully. A peaceful death was impeded by feelings of anxiety and loneliness but promoted by the involvement of children in their patients' care.
conclusionThe results give insight into the nature of suffering and factors related to the dying process of terminally ill cancer patients. Attention to psychosocial well-being and to the need to be with loved ones appears to be essential for patients' quality of life.
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