36 Pct of Terminal Cancer Patients in Japan Suffer Pain

December 26, 2018

Tokyo--A total of 36 pct of terminal cancer patients in Japan spent the last month before their death with pain, a National Cancer Center survey showed Wednesday.

The result highlights the need to improve palliative care, the center said.

The questionnaire-based survey was conducted between February and March, covering 3,204 bereaved family members of patients who died of cancer in 2016. Of them, 1,630 gave valid response.

Of the total respondents, 39 pct were spouses and 40 pct children. The average age of patients when they died was 78.1.

Asked if their cancer-suffering family members spent their time with little pain during their final month, a total of 52 pct of the respondents answered they either "strongly believe so," "believe so," or "sort of believe so."

Meanwhile, the combined share of respondents who answered they "don't believe so at all," "don't believe so," "don't very much believe so," or "it's difficult to say" reached 36 pct.

Respondents who recognized mental pain suffered by their family members battling cancer accounted for 36 pct of the total.

Regarding the situation a week before the patients' death, 64 pct said their cancer-suffering family members had physical pain. They included 28 pct who sensed strong pain.

Of the total respondents, 42 pct answered the nursing burden on families was heavy. The share of those who had depression after their cancer-battling family members' death came to 17 pct.

Palliative care eases patients' pain mainly with narcotic drugs for medical use.

"We believe we can reduce the number of patients who suffer pain by improving palliative care," said Masashi Kato, head of the center's department for cancer treatment assistance.

Next year, the center will expand the survey into a full-fledged one covering some 50,000 people nationwide to study terminal phases of patients who died of heart diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, pneumonia and kidney failure. Jiji Press