Pain and related complaints in patients with acute leukemia: time for simultaneous care in hemato-oncology

Support Care Cancer. 2019 Aug;27(8):2755-2756. doi: 10.1007/s00520-019-04743-y. Epub 2019 Apr 13.

Abstract

This commentary deals with the need of an early integration between hematologist and palliative care specialists as well as pain therapists as a routine basis in order to ensure the best management of patients affected by acute leukemia from the onset of the disease and in the stages of causal therapy. This strategy could limit the burden of painful symptoms and, in addition, avoid unnecessary suffering to patients, ensuring the best conditions for optimal outcome of these patients with extremely high clinical complexity and symptomatology who receive intensive treatments or who are managed with novel treatment approaches.

Keywords: Acute leukemia; Managed care; Opioids; Pain; Quality of life.

MeSH terms

  • Cancer Pain / complications*
  • Cancer Pain / epidemiology
  • Cancer Pain / therapy*
  • Hematology / methods*
  • Hematology / organization & administration
  • Hematology / standards
  • Humans
  • Interdisciplinary Communication
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / complications
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / therapy*
  • Medical Oncology / methods*
  • Medical Oncology / organization & administration
  • Medical Oncology / standards
  • Pain / complications
  • Pain / etiology
  • Pain Management / adverse effects
  • Pain Management / methods*
  • Palliative Care / methods*
  • Patient Care Team / organization & administration
  • Patient Care Team / standards