Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40346284›Full record

SynthesisSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2025

Early and simultaneous palliative care in cancer patients: an overview.

Mara Vicenzini, Sara Di Lorenzo, Margherita Venturini

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Mara VicenziniOrthopaedics Department, Casa Di Cura San Giorgio, Pordenone, Italy.
Sara Di LorenzoHome Care Nursing Department, Casa della Comunità Hub San Daniele, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Friuli Centrale (ASU FC), Udine, Italy. sara.dilorenzo@asufc.sanita.fvg.it.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5777-3977
Margherita VenturiniDepartment of Medicine, School of Nursing, University of Udine, Udine, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThe timing of access to palliative care is still a debated topic. We aim to investigate recent evidence on early and simultaneous palliative care to better understand what the most appropriate timing for integration and its impact on the quality of life of cancer patients and their carers might be.

methodsThis is an overview of systematic reviews published between November 2020 and February 2024. Three search strings were launched on the PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library and Scopus databases. Results were screened according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement.

resultsA total of 17/1052 articles were selected. The following categories emerged and were described: need to define a timing for integration; definition of specific criteria for referral; access to palliative care; benefits of early and simultaneous palliative care; needs of patients and carers and their preferences. No specific timing for referral to palliative care emerged: one article suggested within 8 weeks of diagnosis, while another identified multiple time points. The term "supportive care" appears to facilitate early referral to palliative care services.

conclusionThere is ample evidence that early and simultaneous access to palliative care ensures a better care pathway. Although it is not possible to standardise referral times, communication between professionals, patients and carers, shared and advance care planning are key elements in the identification of palliative care needs and their early integration. Much research is still needed to ensure equitable and appropriate access to palliative care.

Indexed as

NeoplasmsPalliative CareHealth Services AccessibilityHumansQuality of LifeReferral and ConsultationSystematic Reviews as TopicTime FactorsAdvanced care planningEarly palliative careShared care planningSimultaneous palliative careTiming in palliative care

Identifiers

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.