A secondary analysis of data from national bereavement surveys conducted in 2014, 2016, and 2018 was conducted with the aim of identifying the contribution of various patient and bereavement backgrounds to the outcomes of the Bereavement Survey. The data were evaluated in terms of structure and process of care (CES), achievement of a desirable death (GDI), complexity grief (BGQ), and depression (PHQ-9). The large data set and comprehensive analysis of bereavement survey outcomes clarified the need for adjustment of confounding variables and which variables should be adjusted for in future analyses. Overall, the contribution of the background factors examined in this study to the CES (Adj-R²=0.014) and overall satisfaction (Adj-R²=0.055) was low. The contribution of the GDI (Adj-R²=0.105) was relatively high, and that of the PHQ-9 (Max-rescaled R²=0.200) and BGQ (Max-rescaled R²=0.207) was non-negligible.

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.

Purpose: In Japanese hospitals, it is customary for medical staff to offer condolences to patients who have died before they are discharged. We conducted a preliminary survey to learn the actual status of sending off patients nationwide, we investigated the process from confirmation of death to discharge from the hospital. Methods: An Internet-based questionnaire survey was conducted on medical staff in hospitals nationwide. Results: The number of accesses was 345, and the number of valid responses was 101. Deaths were confirmed by the doctor on duty at night or on holidays in 87% of all hospitals. The carrier came to the patient’s room in 77%. Ceremonies were performed in 13%. The discharge route was the main entrance (8%), back entrance (82%), emergency exit (5%), and dedicated exit (5%). The percentage of positive and negative opinions about holding a ceremony was 23% and 19%. Discussion: A small number (13%) of hospitals offered ceremonies at the time of the send-off.

Purpose: This study aimed to understand the details of osteoporosis treatment for cancer patients provided by designated cancer hospitals. Methods: This web-based survey included questions on the evaluation and treatment of osteoporosis in cancer patients provided by physicians in the departments of urology, gynecology, hematology, respiratory medicine, respiratory surgery, gastroenterology medicine and gastroenterology surfery. Results: The gynecology, hematology, breast surgery, and urology departments had high rates of bone densitometry and prescriptions of osteoporosis treatment for cancer patients. The most frequently used selection criteria were age, hormone therapy, and steroid use. Conclusion: Osteoporosis treatment and associated selection criteria for cancer patients is different in each department, so we need to educate the evaluation and treatment of cancer treatment-induced bone loss.

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness and safety of continuous infusion of midazolam for the treatment of headache and/or nausea/vomiting in patients with brain tumors or cancer-associated meningitis. Methods: Patients who presented with headache and/or nausea/vomiting and underwent continuous infusion of midazolam from April 2005 to March 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Among 22 patients, 19 presented with headache and 14 with nausea/vomiting. The success rate of continuous infusion of midazolam for headache was 89% and that for nausea/vomiting was 78%. The mean number of vomiting episodes within 24 hours from the start of midazolam administration was 0.14±0.36, which was significantly lower than that from 24 hours before to the start of administration (1.43±1.60, P=0.015). Sedation was observed as an adverse event in five (23%) patients, but no patients developed respiratory depression. Conclusion: When conventional therapies are ineffective for headache and/or nausea/vomiting caused by brain tumors or cancer-associated meningitis, continuous infusion of midazolam may improve symptoms and should be considered as a treatment option.

Purpose: Few surveys have demonstrated that medical students’ understanding of palliative care in Japan. This study’s aim is to examine whether medical students prior to beginning clinical clerkship are ready to learn palliative care. Methods: Prior to the commencement of participatory clinical training, approval was obtained from the Kagawa University Faculty of Medicine Research Ethics Committee for the execution of this study. A questionnaire survey was conducted on 105 students enrolled in the Faculty of Medicine at our university, focusing on their confidence in achieving the learning objectives for “Palliative Care” outlined in the Medical Education Model Core Curriculum. Participants rated the confidence to the nine learning objectives related to palliative care (ranging from 0 points indicating no confidence to 100 points indicating full confidence). A comparison of the nine items was conducted using the Kruskal–Wallis test, followed by Scheffe’s multiple comparison test. A significance level of P<0.05 was applied. Results: The response rate was 62.9% (66 out of 105 students). Confidence in achieving the learning objectives varied, with item 6, “Understanding the concept and definition of death and the biology of organismal death,” being significantly higher than the other five items (P<0.05). No significant differences were observed among the other items. Conclusion: The need for systematic preparatory education on palliative care for medical students who are about to enter clinical practice is suggested.

High-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy (HFNC) in palliative care is mentioned in several guidelines, however, the indication for this procedure has not been established yet. At our department, HFNC has increasingly been adopted for end-stage cancer patients when their dyspnea needs to be alleviated. This is a case report on three patients treated with this procedure at our department. Although they had severe dyspnea with respiratory failure, their daily activities, such as enjoying meals and conversation with their families, were improved with HFNC. It can be a treatment of choice to maintain and improve patients’ quality of life (QOL) in palliative setting, where benefits and risks should be considered for each patient.

Introduction: Pancreatic cancer often recurs as local recurrence or peritoneal dissemination, causing severe abdominal and back pain. We report a case of postoperative skull metastasis of pancreatic cancer that caused headache and was treated effectively with radiotherapy. Case: A 67-year-old woman underwent surgery for pancreatic cancer. She had epigastric pain due to local recurrence and peritoneal dissemination, which was controlled with loxoprofen and fentanyl transdermal patch. She had right-sided headache, which gradually increased in intensity, but lacked intracranial hypertension and focal neurological symptoms. Acetaminophen and Goreisan did not provide adequate pain relief. Although CT showed no brain or bone metastasis, MRI showed metastasis in the right frontal bone. Palliative radiotherapy was administered. Subsequently, headache decreased from 7–8/10 to 2–3/10 on the Numerical Rating Scale. Conclusion: Skull metastases in cancer patients may be diagnosed using MRI, even when they remain undetectable by CT.

Introduction: We report a case of sudden loss of consciousness due to hypoglycemia in the terminal stage of cancer. Case: A 73-year-old man underwent craniotomy in 2016 and was diagnosed with solitary fibrous tumor. In 2022, his brain tumor recurred and he was admitted to our hospice. On the morning of the 120th day after transfer, the patient suddenly developed impaired consciousness. Blood tests showed hypoglycemia (33 mg/dL), and intravenous glucose injection improved his loss of consciousness, leading to a diagnosis of impaired consciousness due to hypoglycemia. After various examinations, hypoglycemia due to extrapancreatic tumor (non-islet cell tumor hypoglycemia: NICTH) was strongly suspected. Discussion: NICTH is considered to be caused by excessive secretion of an insulin-like substance (high molecular weight insulin-like growth factor (IGF-)II) from the tumor. In patients who are exposed to hypoglycemia for a long period of time, central nervous system symptoms such as impaired consciousness may suddenly develop without sympathetic symptoms. NICTH should be considered as a differential diagnosis in patients with delirium, impaired consciousness, or convulsive seizures and a large tumor, although it is not easy to prove the excessive secretion of high-molecular-weight IGF-II, especially in the terminal stage of cancer.

Systemic administration of opioids rarely causes pruritus, although its mechanism is still not clearly understood. We report an intractable pruritus induced by a change in the dosage form of opioids with the same dose by the conversion ratio, which promptly disapeared with opioid switching. A 80-year-old female experienced worsening dorsal pain and abdominal pain due to recurrent pancreatic cancer. The relief of pain was insufficient with the administration of oral hydromorphone 10 mg/day, changing to continuous intravenous hydromorphone 3 mg/day considering adjustability. The next day, her pain was reduced, but the pruritus appeared. Administering oral and topical antihistamines was ineffective. Her pruritus tended to worsen with continued administration of continuous intravenous hydromorphone at the same dose. Hence we switched to fentanyl patch 0.6 mg/day. The following day, her pruritus significantly decreased, and two days later, her pruritus almost disappeared. This case suggests that opioids switching to fentanyl patch may be effective to relieve pruritus caused by hydromorphone.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the decision-making support and patients’ care progress in a palliative care outpatient clinic at a community hospital. Methods: We conducted a retrospective examination of patients who visited our palliative care outpatient clinic and subsequently died between January 2020 and December 2021. The clinic, staffed by two palliative care physicians, operated twice weekly and accepted patients irrespective of their treatment status. Result: 93 patients were included in the analysis. At the onset of the outpatient clinic, 72 patients were asked about their preferred location for end-of-life care should their condition deteriorate. Of these, 25 patients preferred to receive end-of-life care in a palliative care unit (“PCU” group). Another 25 patients initially sought medical treatment at home through home-visits but later expressed a preference for care in a palliative care unit as their condition worsened (“home-visit→PCU” group). Additionally, 17 patients preferred home care from the end-of-life until death (“home-visit” group). Among the “PCU” patients, 96% received care in a palliative care unit, and 84% passed away in the same unit. In the “home-visit→PCU” group, 76% received care through home visit, and 80% passed away in a palliative care unit. In the “home-visit” group, 76% of patients received care at home, and 47% passed away in their own homes. Conclusion: These findings suggest that delivering end-of-life care in patients’ preferred locations is feasible with continuous decision-making support provided in the palliative care outpatient clinic.

Purpose: To clarify the significance of attempts to improve palliative care unit (PCU) quality using self-assessment sharing programs formulated by the Hospice Palliative Care Japan. Method: We conducted self-assessments of 7 sections (detection and assessment of patient’s needs, care planning, care implementation, preparation, and support for patients’ discharge, management at the dying stage, care of bereaved family, hospice bed management and meeting community needs) including 47 items on a five-point scale, and determined targets for care improvement in 2018, 2021, and 2022. The change of mean scales of 7 sections and 47 items in each fiscal year and the relationship to the targets for care improvement were investigated. Results: From 2018 to 2022, mean scores increased for detection and assessment of patient’s needs, near-death care, and care for bereaved family members. Conclusion: The self-assessment sharing programs have potential to analyze the status of PCU, clarify improvement targets, and improve the care quality in PCU.

In Japan, palliative care has mainly involved patients with cancer. However, palliative care should be provided for patients with other diseases. In addition, the need for palliative care for patients with medical conditions other than cancer is expected to increase with the aging population. Few reports have been published regarding palliative care team activity for patients with other medical conditions in Japan; accordingly, we meticulously scrutinized our team activity records and identified 64 cases from April 2019 to March 2023 in Osaka Rosai Hospital with 678 beds: the number of consultations, durations of interventions, patients’ demographics, request details, reactions from clients, and requests for interprofessional conference participations. Consequently, 42 cases out of all 64 cases, cardiology was the most common department and dyspnea, pain, and fatigue were frequently requested symptoms. The most frequent issue of interprofessional conferences was about continuous sedation. We recognized the need for timely publicity, easy access to the palliative team, success experiences of clients, and study groups to learn non-cancer diseases for penetration of palliative care activity.