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The. EPEC-O. TM. Education in Palliative and End-of-life Care - Oncology. Project. The EPEC-O Curriculum is produced by the EPEC TM Project with major funding provided by NCI, with supplemental funding provided by the Lance Armstrong Foundation.
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The EPEC-O TM Education in Palliative and End-of-life Care - Oncology Project The EPEC-O Curriculum is produced by the EPECTM Project with major funding provided by NCI, with supplemental funding provided by the Lance Armstrong Foundation.
EPEC - Oncology Education in Palliative and End-of-life Care - Oncology Module 8 Clarifying Diagnosis and Prognosis
Objectives • Describe the difficulty with prognostication • Discuss limitations of current prognostic models • Apply the 6-step protocol to communicate diagnosis and prognosis
Importance • Most people want to know • Strengthens physician-patient relationship • Fosters collaboration • Permits patients, families to plan, cope
Clinical predictions vs. actual survival • Over optimistic by factor of 3 - 5 Glare P.BMJ.2003.
Clinical predictions vs. actual survival • Relationships between predictions and survival • Actual is 30% less than predicted • Survival = predicted 1 week for 25% • Predicted survival + 4 weeks for 27% Glare P. BMJ.2003.
Sources of prognostic information • Physician prediction • Stage-specific survival data • Performance status • Signs and symptoms • Integrated models
Sources ofsurvival data . . . • Stage specific survival curves • Natural history studies • Randomized trials with a ‘best supportive care’ arm
Performance status and prognosis . . . • Independent prognostic factor • Karnofsky Performance Score <50: survival <8 weeks Mor V, et al. Cancer. 1984.
. . . Karnofsky Score as predictor of survival Reuben DB, Mor V, Hiris J. Arch Intern Med. 1988.
Clinical signs and symptoms as prognostic indicators in patients with advanced disease
6-step protocol . . . • Getting started • Find out what the patient knows • Find out how much the patient wants to know Adapted from Robert Buckman
Communicating prognosis . . . • Some patients want to plan • Others are seeking reassurance
. . . Communicating prognosis . . . • Limits of prediction • Hope for the best, plan for the worst • Better sense over time • Can’t predict surprises, get affairs in order • Reassure availability, whatever happens
. . . Communicating prognosis . . . • Inquire about reasons for asking • “What are you expecting to happen?” • “How specific do you want me to be?” • “What experiences have you had with: • others with same illness?” • others who have died?”
. . . 6-step protocol • Share the information • Respond to patient, family feelings • Plan, follow-up Adapted form Robert Buckman
. . . Communicating prognosis • Patients vary • ‘Planners’ want more details • Those seeking reassurance want less • Avoid precise answers • Hours to days. . .months to years • Average
Summary • Prognostication is inexact • Karnofsky performance status is an important prognostic factor • In advanced (<3 months) disease, symptoms predict prognosis • Prognosis is difficult to define for patients with survival >6 months