The emotional involvement of physicians in the Oncology Intensive Care Unit: a phenomenological-hermeneutic study.

Background: This phenomenological-hermeneutic study is about the experiences of physicians in the Oncology Intensive Care Unit of the Careggi University Hospital, in Florence. The Oncology Intensive Care Unit is a place of great emotional impact and can be create stressful situations. The emotional labor can lead to the development of cynicism, depersonalization and emotional exhaustion.

Total pain, opioids, and immune checkpoint inhibitors in the survival of patients with cancer.

Experimental and observational studies have shown that opioid analgesics may increase tumor growth, potentially reduce immunotherapy efficacy, and shorten survival. As a result of the lack of clinical data, the current rationale for continuing opioid analgesic treatment is based on animal models, which suggests that physical pain itself may potentially influence cancer growth and exert immunosuppressive effects. Total pain encompasses the various factors that patients may experience during their cancer journey: physical symptoms, social isolation/loneliness, psychological, spiritual/existential, and financial distress.

How early should be "Early Integrated Palliative Care"?

Palliative care, with its focus on comprehensive patient assessment encompassing physical, social, emotional, and spiritual pain, plays a crucial role in modern medicine. Despite its significance, integration with oncology and other healthcare specialties often occurs late in the disease trajectory. Strategies to bridge this gap include considering a "rebranding" of palliative care to "supportive care.