Bioelectrical impedance, cancer nutritional assessment, and ascites.

This report describes our experience in the use of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) as a method of nutritional assessment in a cancer patient with ascites. The BIA was an unreliable measure of body composition in this setting.

Psychosocial care in advanced cancer.

In palliative care, the focus is management of major symptoms and complications, and psychosocial support of the patient and family. Approaching the end of life, the patient's needs move beyond physical care to include the psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions. The main psychosocial interventions are counseling, education, and practical services directed at the needs identified by the multidimensional/multidisciplinary assessments.

Bioethics: communication and decision-making in advanced disease.

Effective communication is the cornerstone of excellence in patient care, and breakdown in communication is a common problem leading to requests for bioethics consultation. In palliative medicine, issues involving end-of-life decisions inherently involve many potential ethical concerns. Ensuring good communication among the physician, health care professionals, patient, and family will facilitate care, and avoid ethical problems.