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Expressed wishes and incidence of euthanasia in advanced lung cancer patients
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EOLIC-Consortium
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| Abstract |
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| This study explores expressed wishes and requests for euthanasia (i.e. administration of lethal drugs at explicit request of the patient), and incidence of end-of-life decisions with possible life-shortening effects (ELDs) in advanced lung cancer patients in Flanders, Belgium. We performed a prospective, longitudinal, observational study of a consecutive sample of advanced lung cancer patients and selected those who died within 18 months of diagnosis. Immediately after death, the pulmonologist/oncologist and general practitioner (GP) of the patient filled in a questionnaire. Information was available for 105 of 115 deaths. According to the specialist or GP, one in five of patients had expressed a wish for euthanasia; and 3 in 4 of these had made an explicit and repeated request. One in two of these received euthanasia. Of the patients who had expressed a wish for euthanasia but had not made an explicit and repeated request, none received euthanasia. Patients with a palliative treatment goal at inclusion were more likely to receive euthanasia. Death was preceded by an ELD in 62.9% of patients. To conclude, advanced lung cancer patients who expressed a euthanasia wish were often determined. Euthanasia was performed significantly more among patients whose treatment goal after diagnosis was exclusively palliative. |
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English
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The European respiratory journal / European Respiratory Society [Lausanne] - Copenhagen, 1988, currens | |
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Copenhagen : 2012
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0903-1936 [print]
1399-3003 [online]
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40:4(2012), p. 949-956
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000309795500023
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