Main description:

Leading palliative care experts illustrate how you can improve both communication with cancer patients and their quality of life.

For more than twenty years, this guide has been the go-to resource for busy practicing oncology and palliative care clinicians. This fourth edition, now titled Comprehensive Guide to Supportive and Palliative Care for Patients with Cancer, provides physicians, advanced practice clinicians, and patients and their families with detailed information and advice for alleviating the suffering of cancer patients and their loved ones. Drawing on the work of experts who have developed revolutionary approaches to symptom management and palliative care, as well as on lessons learned during her decades as a teacher and clinician, Dr. Janet L. Abrahm and her coauthors illustrate how to help patients and families understand their prognosis, communicate their care preferences, and minimize their distress.

This edition reflects important updates in the field while addressing the informational needs of a broader market of health care providers, including social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, bereavement counselors, and chaplains. This new edition features three new chapters-"Spiritual Care in Palliative Care," "Psychological Considerations," and "Bereavement"-as well as specific guidelines about
* advance care planning at all phases of cancer
* understanding complex family dynamics and communication challenges
* partnering with interpreters in the care of patients and family members with limited English-language proficiency
* special considerations to take into account for LGBTQ+ patients and their loved ones
* caring for patients who have a serious mental illness along with a cancer diagnosis
* nonpharmacologic management of pain and other symptoms associated with cancer or its treatment

The book features self-reflective exercises that encourage readers to consider their own biases before having discussions with patients and family members, as well as numerous patient stories that illustrate the techniques and insights clinicians can use to provide holistic, multidimensional care for a diverse cancer patient population.

Contents:

List of Figures and Tables
List of Contributors
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part I. A Team Approach
Chapter 1. Early Days with Molly E. Collins, MD
Chapter 2. Working with Patients' Families with Arden O'Donnell, MPH, MSW, LICSW, APHSW-C
Chapter 3. Spiritual Care in Palliative Care with Rev. Katie Pakos Rimer, MDiv, EdD, BCC
Chapter 4. Sexuality, Intimacy, and Cancer with Amanda Moment, MSW, LICSW
Chapter 5. Advancing Disease with Molly E. Collins, MD
Part II. Pain Control, Symptom Management, and Psychological Considerations
Chapter 6. Assessing the Patient in Pain
Chapter 7. Pharmacologic Management of Cancer Pain
Chapter 8. Nonpharmacologic Strategies in Palliative Care
Chapter 9. Psychological Considerations with Hermioni L. Amonoo, MD, MPP
Chapter 10. Managing Other Distressing Problems
Part III. End of Life and Bereavement
Chapter 11. Approaching the End: Concerns of Patients and Their Families at the End of Life
Chapter 12. The Last Days
Chapter 13. Bereavement with Bethany-Rose Daubman, MD
Index