Prognosis In Advanced Cancer

Predicting survival and other outcomes is increasingly being recognized as an important skill for palliative care doctors and nurses, oncologists, and other healthcare professionals who treat patients with advanced cancer. Accurate prognosis is essential if we are to offer quality of care and 'a good death', as well as to aid decision-making. There is much prognostic information available that is scattered throughout the palliative care and oncological literature but this is the first time it has been gathered systematically in one place. Glare and Christakis, leaders in the field of prognosis, bring together a team of international contributors from across the fields of palliative care and oncology. This comprehensive but practical guide begins with the principles of prognostication, including formulating the prediction and then communicating it. Topics such as statistical issues, evidence-based medicine, and the ethics of prognostication are also covered. The second section addresses prognostication in 15 specific cancer sites once they have reached the advanced stage, following a standard template for consistency and easy access to the key information.The third section deals with prognostication in patients with a variety of common clinical conditions at the end of life, such as bowel obstruction, hypercalcaemia, and brain metastases. In addition, survival curves are provided within each chapter, palliative care conditions are examined for the first time, and a summary table of long and short term prognosis ensures this book remains practical. Review: ...the quality of this book is outstanding...very necessary for physicians and other medical personnel. Marlene S. Foreman, BSN, Hospice of Acadiana, Inc. Table of Contents: PART 1: SCIENCE OF PROGNOSTICATION; 1. Overview: advancing the clinical science of prognostication; 2. Differences in prognostication between early stage cancer and advanced cancer; 3. Foreseeing: formulating an accurate prognosis; 4. Foretelling: communicating the prognosis; 5. Statistical concepts and issues related to prognostic models; 6. Evidence based medicine; 7. Tools for formulating prognosis; 8. Ethics; PART 2: PROGNOSTICATION IN SPECIFIC CANCERS; 9. Lung cancer; 10. Colorectal cancer; 11. Breast cancer; 12. Bladder cancer; 13. Prognosis of prostate cancer; 14. Pancreatic cancer; 15. Hepatoma; 16. Head and neck cancer; 17. Gynaecological cancer; 18. Brain cancer; 19. Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL); 20. Leukaemia and myeloma; 21. Sarcoma; 22. Unknown primary; 23. Melanoma; PART 3: PROGNOSIS IN PALLIATIVE CARE; 24. Bone secondaries; 25. Brain secondaries; 26. Leptomeningeal disease; 27. Liver metastases; 28. Lung secondaries; 29. Hypercalcemia; 30. Spinal cord compression; 31. Pain relief; 32. Malignant bowel obstruction; 33. Breathlessness; 34. Delirium; 35. Weight loss; 36. Fatigue