Blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma significantly impact the quality of life of patients, necessitating a specialized approach to symptom management. A component of comprehensive cancer care includes alleviating suffering while active treatment is being pursued. Palliative care plays a crucial role in addressing the physical, psychological, and social needs throughout the disease course. This includes managing side effects of treatment such as fatigue, pain, sleeplessness, dry mouth, bleeding, infections, nausea, and psychological distress due to infertility or financial difficulties.

Palliative Care in Blood Cancers

Palliative care support is typically recommended during the end-of-life (EOL) for patients with solid cancers but is rarely integrated for patients with hematological malignancies (HM). The American Society of Clinical Oncology clarifies that palliative care should not be misinterpreted as EOL care. Compared to solid cancers, HM patients often have a better chance of recovery despite some being resistant or relapsed. Additionally, patients with hematological malignancies are more than twice as likely to die in a hospital compared to those with solid tumors. Evidence shows an increase in anxiety and depression, which deteriorates the quality of life for patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, highlighting the benefits of palliative care in improving their well-being.

Barriers to Palliative Care in Hematological Malignancies

At Sammprada, our continuous endeavor has been to address the barriers in integrating palliative care into the treatment plan for HM. These barriers can be classified as follows:

• Disease-related barriers: Intensive treatment requirements for HM and unpredictable disease trajectories.
• Clinician-related barriers: Misconception that palliative care is solely for EOL and reluctance to discuss it with patients.
• System-related barriers: Lack of sufficient palliative care research in HM.

To overcome these challenges, we aim to create a structured approach for difficult conversations with patients and caregivers. This is achieved by utilizing cognitive and communication frameworks such as best-case/worst-case scenarios.

Importance of Palliative Care for Blood Cancer Patients

The importance of palliative treatment for blood cancer stems from its intensive and long-term nature, including unpredictable complications and toxicity. Discussions must be advanced with patients and their families regarding the goals of care and advance care planning. Palliative care for blood cancer in Bangalore should also address the spiritual, existential, religious, and cultural needs related to EOL care.

Benefits of Palliative Care:

• Improves symptom management and enhances quality of life.
• Reduces anxiety and depression among patients and caregivers.
• Helps in making informed treatment decisions.
• Supports patients during post-treatment and throughout the EOL period.
• Could potentially improve survival outcomes.

Palliative Care Services in Bangalore

For individuals seeking palliative care in Bangalore, it is essential to integrate holistic and patient-centered approaches. At Sammprada, we focus on ensuring that palliative care services in Bangalore address all aspects of a patient’s well-being. Our goal is to provide the best palliative care in Bangalore, ensuring that patients with hematological malignancies receive the support they need throughout their treatment journey.

Conclusion

Palliative care should be an integral part of the treatment plan for hematological malignancies. By addressing the existing barriers and implementing a structured communication approach, we can improve the overall quality of life for patients and their caregivers. Increased awareness and access to palliative care services in Bangalore can significantly enhance patient outcomes and provide much-needed support for those undergoing palliative treatment for blood cancer.

References:

1. Erdal S, Arslan E.N, Tandoruk M.S. Palliative care in patients with hematological malignancies. Florence Nightingale Journal of Nursing 2023;31:S1:59-65.
2. El-Jawahri A, Webb J.A, Hannon B et al. Integrating palliative care and hematologic malignancies: bridging the gaps for our patients and their caregivers. ASCO Educational Book 2024;44:3.