The determinants of patients in a palliative care unit being discharged home in Japan.

In Japan, regarding the place of end-of-life care, many people preferred the home. However, there is a discrepancy between patients' wishes and the actual circumstances. The primary aim of this study was to explore the factors that determine discharge home of patients in a palliative care unit.

Effect of nutritional support on terminally ill patients with cancer in a palliative care unit.

The role of nutritional support on terminally ill patients with cancer in a palliative care unit has not been clarified. A total of 63 patients were retrospectively investigated; the patients receiving individualized nutritional support (intervention group [n = 22]) were compared to the others (control group [n = 41]). The intervention group received individualized nutritional support.

[Long-term prognosis of patients with local recurrence of breast cancer].

From 1985 to 2002, 22 patients with local recurrence after radical mastectomy have been treated in our hospital. Resection was possible in 9 patients. We evaluated long-term prognosis of the 9 patients.