Jennifer Temel, MD, director of the Cancer Outcomes Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, discusses the benefits that palliative care can have not only on patients, but on their caregivers as well.

In a study observing early integrative palliative care for patients with newly-diagnosed advanced lung or GI cancer, Temel found that getting palliative care earlier on gave patients overall better quality of life. Caregivers, who were also observed in the study, had similar outcomes, reporting that their quality of life was better when their loved ones had their symptoms managed in palliative care.

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Jennifer Temel, MD, director of the Cancer Outcomes Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, discusses the benefits that palliative care can have not only on patients, but on their caregivers as well. 

Jennifer Temel on How Palliative Care Benefits Caregivers

Jennifer Temel, MD, clinical director of thoracic oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital, discusses screening for pain and other cancer-related symptoms. 

Traditionally, nurses have done a better job than physicians at screening patients for pain and other cancer-related symptoms. Temel says that patients often feel more comfortable with the way nurses communicate and are more likely to be honest about how they are feeling. 

Patients may be hesitant to report symptoms such as fatigue or shortness of breath, out of fear that it would stop their treatment. Temel says that oncology providers always need to encourage patients to identify all of their symptoms. 

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Jennifer Temel on Screening for Cancer-Related Pain and Symptoms

Jennifer Temel, MD, clinical director of thoracic oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital, discusses pain management and assessment.Â 

Pain is one of the most common symptoms in patients with advanced or metastatic cancer. In addition to the general discomfort of pain, severe cases can affect eating and sleeping.

Along with managing patient pain, healthcare providers can also educate patients about how to properly take pain medication.Â 

Advancements in screening for pain have been made over the last decade. Most providers at hospitals ask patients to rate their painÂ on a scale from 0 to 10. Some hospitalsâ€”including Massachusetts General Hospitalâ€”utilize the same practice in the outpatient setting.Â 

â€œWeâ€™re all trying to be really vigilant in assessing patientsâ€™ pain in all care settings,â€ Temel says.

Jennifer Temel, MD

Articles

Jennifer Temel on How Palliative Care Benefits Caregivers

Jennifer Temel on Screening for Cancer-Related Pain and Symptoms

Jennifer Temel on Pain Management and Assessment