Patient-reported usefulness of peripherally inserted central venous catheters in terminally ill cancer patients.

Context: Oral administration of medication is often difficult in terminally ill cancer patients, and a subcutaneous route is traditionally one of the most preferred parenteral routes. Recent studies suggest, however, that some patients and families prefer the intravenous route, and peripherally inserted central venous catheters (PICCs) are actively used in oncology settings. Nonetheless, in the palliative care setting, no empirical studies have investigated the patient-perceived usefulness of PICCs.