Advance Directives for Advanced Cancer Patients in Oncology Department: Single Center Experience.
10.12771/emj.2016.39.4.104
- Author:
Byung Wook JUNG
1
;
Jun Gyu SONG
;
Sae Han KANG
;
Byung Woo YOON
;
Yonggeon SONG
;
Kwonoh PARK
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine, Hanil General Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Advance directives;
Terminal care;
Chemotherapy
- MeSH:
Advance Directives*;
Drug Therapy;
Enteral Nutrition;
Follow-Up Studies;
Hospitals, General;
Humans;
Male;
Proxy;
Resuscitation;
Retrospective Studies;
Terminal Care;
Ventilators, Mechanical
- From:The Ewha Medical Journal
2016;39(4):104-109
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVES: Advance directives (AD) are designed to protect patients’ autonomy and self-determination, which mean the end of life care planning should precede before loss of their decision ability. We aimed to analyze our experience of AD at field of oncology, focusing on preference of end-of-life care and outcome in advanced cancer patients. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted on advanced cancer patients who underwent AD at the department of Oncology of Hanil General Hospital, between April 2013 and January 2014. AD are composed of decision about end of life care (resuscitation, ventilator, artificial tube feeding) and determination of proxy. RESULTS: Among 23 patients who were recommended AD during study period, 19 patients (83%) successfully underwent AD. The median age was 67 years (range, 50 to 95 years) and male was predominance (84%) was observed. Most of them (90%) have not heard of AD in the past. With regard to decision of end-of-life care, decision for resuscitation and ventilator were selected only by 1 patient (5%), respectively, while 10 patients (52%) decided to receive tube feeding. Among 5 patients who underwent AD during chemotherapy, there was neither transfer to other hospital for anti-cancer treatment nor follow up loss. CONCLUSION: AD might be applicable in advanced cancer patients at field of oncology, including also patients treated with palliative chemotherapy.