Quality of Life Among Cancer Patients Who Discharged Home from Inpatient Hospices, Comparing with Those of Cancer Patients Who Died at HospicesA Nation-ｗide Survey Among Bereaved Families of Advanced Cancer Patients

Objectives: We compared cancer patients who were discharged home from inpatients hospices (Home), and who died at hospices (PCU) as a comparison group regarding patients’ quality of life, to clarify the patients’ experience after discharge home. Methods: We send self-reported questionnaires to bereaved families of cancer patients who were discharged home from 12 Japanese nation-wide hospices and died without readmission to the hospicies during Janually 2010 and August 2014. We used bereaved families’ data of patients who died at the same hospices during the same period of J-HOPE3 study. Results: We sent 495 questionnaires (returned 47.3%) and analyzed data of 188 as Home. The data of 759 bereaved families of J-HOPE3 study were also analyzed as PCU. In Good Death Inventory, Home was associated with higher score on some items (staying at favorite place, having pleasure, staying with families and friends, being valued as a person), and PCU was associated with higher score on being free from pain or other physical distress. Conclusions: Patients who were discharged home from inpatient hospices had good environmental QOL, but hospices may be better in palliation of symptoms.

Effective acetazolamide for the symptoms of increased intracranial pressure due to carcinomatous meningitis: a case report

<b>Introduction</b>: We experienced a case in which acetazolamide proved to be effective for the symptoms of increased intracranial pressure due to carcinomatous meningitis. <b>Case</b>: The patient was a male in his fifties who was diagnosed lung adenocarcinoma. He was suffered from headache and vomiting due to carcinomatous meningitis after his admission to our palliative care unit, so he was prescribed steroids and a glycerin infusion. But only morning headache remained, and we added acetazolamide 500 mg per day and his morning headache improved. <b>Conclusion</b>: This morning headache is thought to reflect exacerbation of raised intracranial pressure through nocturnal hypoventilation with a rise in PaCO2, so it was thought that acetazolamide decreased PaCO2 and relieved morning headache.

Effective blood transfusion for the symptomatic restless legs syndrome by anemia in the terminal stage of cancer: a case report

We experienced a case in which a blood transfusion proved to be effective for the treatment of symptomatic restless legs syndrome that occurred in a patient demonstrating terminal stage cancer with iron-deficiency anemia due to hemorrhaging as a result of carcinomatous peritonitis. The patient was a female in her seventies who suffered from hepatocellular carcinoma. After undergoing blood transfusion, the symptoms of discomfort in her lower limbs dramatically improved. It was thought that it was expected the symptomatic restless leg syndrome was frequently amalgamated, and a positive diagnosis and appropriate treatment were necessary in the terminal stage of cancer. Palliat Care Res 2011; 6(2): 344-349