Palliative care

Question 1

What is palliative care ?

Answer 1

Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychological and spiritual

Question 2

Who are the Patients in ENT often seen by palliative care?

Answer 2

Head and neck cancer patients

Question 3

What are the red flags of head and neck cancers ?

Answer 3

Greater than 3 weeks of:

• Sore throat
• Hoarseness
• Stridor
• Difficulty swallowing
• Lump in neck
• Unilateral ear pain

Question 4

What type of cancer is the majority of head and neck cancers ?

Answer 4

Squamous cell carcinomas

Question 5

What are the majory risk factors for the development of Squamous cancers ?

Answer 5

• Alcohol and smoking
• HPV assocation

Question 6

What are some of the things palliative care helps with ?

Answer 6

• Symptom management esp pain
• Nutrition and feeding
• Airway and breathing
• Quality of life

Question 7

Describe the WHO analgesic ladder

Answer 7

Question 8

What is an adjuvant analgesic ?

Answer 8

Painkillers whose primary indication is for something other than pain:

• Anticonvulsants - gabapentin, pregabalin
• Antidepressants -amitriptyline