Needs and expectations of patients with cancer pain and the level of their fulfilment in palliative care

According to the WHO definition palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering. The aim of palliative care is constant work to improve and maintain a high level of quality of life of patients and their families during the last stage of disease. The work is the follow-up of the research performed by Warsaw Centre of Oncology in 1990. The current work was aimed at verifying and extending the original theses. We used QLQ-C15-PAL, modified VAS Scale to assess pain and a self-prepared Patient’s Expectation Questionnaire. The results were analysed using statistical methods to find trends and correlations. The analysis resulted in the following outcome: providing the relief of pain and good control over somatic symptoms alone is not enough to gain good quality of life; the patient’s main needs are in the psychosocial sphere and involve being in contact with intimates, being respected and having the ability to decide about oneself; patients do not seek silence and tran­quility but want to participate in social life as long as it is possible; good communication between patients and the medical team is essential for accurate assessment of patient’s expectations and proper response to them.