Exploring the Barriers to Buprenorphine Therapy for Cancer-Related Pain and Concurrent Opioid Use Disorder: A Case Report.

Although buprenorphine is widely accepted as a treatment option for opioid use disorder (OUD), it is underutilized as a treatment for cancer-related pain. Owing to its decreased side effect profile, various formulations (depending on FDA indication of pain versus OUD), and ability to simultaneously address OUD and pain, buprenorphine is gaining popularity in the outpatient palliative medicine setting. Despite these compelling benefits, there are significant barriers to initiating therapy.

Navigating the Cancer Screening Decision for Patients with Dementia.

Purpose Of Review: The risks of developing cancer and dementia both increase with age, giving rise to the complex question of whether continued cancer screening for older dementia patients is appropriate. This paper offers a practice-based clinical approach to determine an answer to this challenging question.

Recent Findings: There is no consensus on the prevalence of cancer and dementia as co-diagnoses.

Creating a Colocation Unit for End-of-Life Care during a Pandemic.

Palliative care seeks to support the physical, psycho-social and spiritual needs of patients and families who are facing life threatening diseases. Advantages of establishing a palliative care unit, or alternatively co-locating patients, include promoting optimal physical and psychological symptom management; increased family satisfaction; and facilitating resource allocation. To design a stand-alone hospital unit to provide end of life care during a pandemic.