Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Advanced Cancer Patients

Gastrointestinal symptoms such as anorexia-cachexia, chronic nausea, vomiting and bowel obstruction are highly distressing for patients with advanced cancer. Approximately one in three adults will be diagnosed with cancer in their lives and approximately fifty per cent of them will die because of malignancy. More than eighty per cent of patients who die of cancer will present severe gastrointestinal symptoms before death. This book presents detailed, evidence-based information on each of the gastrointestinal symptoms for a multidisciplinary audience. Comprehensively guidelines have been included on how to assess the patient, in order to ensure effective treatment, in which prescribing is tailored to the cause of the symptoms and to the patient's individual needs. The book recognises that the aim of good cancer management and palliative care is to assess, diagnose, manage and treat these symptoms to ensure best quality of life. Aimed primarily at hospice and palliative care specialists, medical radiation and surgical oncologists and selected family physicians and internists who have an interest in cancer care. The book will also appeal to oncology and academic nurses, nutritionists as well as clinical psychologists with an interest in oncology and/or palliative care.