Palliative Care and Pain Management Flashcards
6 cards from real Mesothelioma Therapy practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Palliative Care and Pain Management flashcards as text
What is the primary goal of palliative care in mesothelioma?
Answer: Improving quality of life and managing symptoms
Palliative care focuses on improving quality of life by managing symptoms, pain, and psychosocial distress rather than achieving cure.
Which symptom is most commonly managed by palliative care in mesothelioma patients?
Answer: Dyspnea and chest pain
Dyspnea (shortness of breath) and chest pain are the most prevalent and distressing symptoms in mesothelioma, forming the core of palliative management.
Thoracentesis is performed as a palliative procedure in mesothelioma to treat which condition?
Answer: Pleural effusion causing dyspnea
Thoracentesis drains accumulated pleural fluid (pleural effusion) to relieve dyspnea in mesothelioma patients.
An indwelling pleural catheter (IPC) is used in mesothelioma patients to:
Answer: Allow repeated outpatient drainage of recurrent pleural effusion
An IPC allows patients to drain recurrent pleural effusions at home, reducing the need for repeated hospital procedures.
According to the WHO pain ladder, which drug class is appropriate for severe cancer pain unresponsive to non-opioids?
Answer: Strong opioids (morphine, oxycodone)
Step 3 of the WHO pain ladder recommends strong opioids such as morphine or oxycodone for severe pain unresponsive to weaker analgesics.
Which adjuvant analgesic class is particularly useful for neuropathic pain in mesothelioma chest wall invasion?
Answer: Gabapentinoids (gabapentin, pregabalin)
Gabapentinoids are effective adjuvant analgesics for neuropathic pain resulting from nerve compression or invasion by mesothelioma.