Corticosteroid treatment  in advanced metastatic cancer

Symptom relieving therapy with corticosteroids in advanced cancer is not just about reducing physical symptoms such as nausea, appetite loss and fatigue; there will probably also be consequences in other dimensions of life. Even if the symptomatic improvement is transient, the patient will probably experience strengthened autonomy and maybe an increased hope, giving the impression of a more normalized life. Knowing this, we can invite the patient and his or her family to share thoughts about what is important to accomplish, given a temporary improvement. This discussion around goals of care is important not only for the patient, but will help the palliative care team to plan in advance, providing best possible support to the patient and family

Bibliographic Reference

Lindstrom S et al.: "The existential impact of starting corticosteroid treatment as symptom control in advanced metastatic cancer", Palliat Med. 2009 Mar;23(2):165-70

Staffan Lundstrom

Institute for Palliative Medicine at San Diego Hospice, San Diego, CA, USA