Significance of palliative care for the quality of life for oncology patients

Abstract

Background and Aim of Study: Oncological diseases are one of the biggest problems that can cause irreparable harm to human health. The significance of various types’ medical care on the quality of life for patients with malignant diseases remains an urgent research problem. The aim of the study: to provide empirical data for the significance of palliative care in supporting the quality of life for patients with gastric cancer. Material and Methods: The study was conducted at the University Hospital of Heidelberg, Germany. A representative sample of the study subjects consisted of 378 patients diagnosed with gastric cancer. Comparative analyzes to approaches in cancer prevention, as well as 5-year survival among patients with gastric cancer in Germany, Bulgaria, Japan, and Singapore were used. Results: The majority of the patients in the study sample from Germany died in their homes or in hospices (91.2%), while only a small proportion died in the hospital (8.7%). Based on the international comparison, we concluded that in Bulgaria, the ongoing treatment and care of terminally ill patients differ significantly in terms of their scope, development level and impact on the patients. The 5-year survival rate for stomach cancer in Bulgaria is 3%, which is much lower than in Asian countries, where there is a significantly higher survival rate for this disease: Singapore 10-30%, Japan 12-35%. Conclusions: The significance of the palliative care to support the quality of life for oncological patients has been constantly increasing in recent years. Systemic and long-term palliative care provides the necessary support for quality of life and can affect the 5-year survival of oncological patients. This is confirmed by our study in Germany, where rates are 28-30%. The authors recommend providing professional, high-quality palliative care as needed to ensure quality of life for patients with malignant diseases.