Abstract
We examined the effect of the intervention by a palliative care team (PCT) for patients with oral cancer. This study was performed in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Kobe University Hospital from January 2008 to October 2012. 36 of 194 patients needed intervention by the PCT. 71.1% of them suffered from pain, insomnia, and anxiety. We assessed their symptoms using the Japanese version of the Support Team Assessment Schedule (STAS-J). When the PCT intervention finished, 13 of 22 symptoms had significantly improved and 8 had improved. It was shown that the intervention of the PCT was very effective. Most of the oral cancer patients are troubled with a change of the postoperative countenance, dysarthria, and dysphagia. To relieve cancer patients of their total symptoms, we have to cooperate with the PCT from an early stage of the cancer treatment.
