OCC Supportive Care & Symptom Management Flashcards

A patient with advanced cancer rates their pain as 7/10 and is currently on scheduled oral morphine. Which WHO analgesic ladder principle guides the next step?

Answer: Increase the opioid dose or switch to a stronger opioid for uncontrolled moderate-to-severe pain

The WHO analgesic ladder recommends stepping up to stronger opioids or increasing the current opioid dose when moderate-to-severe pain (≥7/10) is not controlled by the current regimen.

Which nutritional screening tool is MOST commonly recommended for oncology patients to identify malnutrition risk?

Answer: Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA)

The PG-SGA is the oncology-specific nutrition screening tool validated for cancer patients, assessing weight loss, food intake, symptoms, functional capacity, and physical exam findings.

A terminally ill cancer patient reports existential distress and loss of meaning. Which supportive care approach is MOST appropriate?

Answer: Initiate dignity therapy or meaning-centered counseling with palliative care support

Dignity therapy and meaning-centered counseling are evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions specifically designed to address existential distress in terminally ill patients.

Which integrative therapy has BEST evidence for reducing chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting as a complement to antiemetics?

Answer: Acupuncture and acupressure

Acupuncture and acupressure (particularly at the P6/Neiguan point) have the strongest evidence base among integrative therapies for reducing chemotherapy-induced nausea.

A patient on long-term opioid therapy for cancer pain develops opioid-induced constipation unresponsive to stimulant laxatives. What is the MOST appropriate next intervention?

Answer: Administer methylnaltrexone (Relistor) to reverse peripheral opioid effects in the GI tract

Methylnaltrexone is a peripherally acting mu-opioid receptor antagonist that reverses opioid-induced constipation without crossing the blood-brain barrier to reverse analgesia.

A patient with advanced cancer is transitioning to hospice care. What is the PRIMARY goal of hospice care?

Answer: Maximize comfort, dignity, and quality of life while supporting the patient and family

Hospice care's primary goal is comfort-focused care that maximizes quality of life, manages symptoms, and supports the patient and family through the dying process.