End of life care for the glioma patient

Abstract

The definition of palliative care is explored in this chapter-it includes 'end of life' care, which is defined as care that is given in the last months of life of a patient. End of life care is of great importance for patients with a glioma since the disease trajectory is often accompanied with burdensome symptoms. Survival after diagnosis is relatively short, and the disease can influence patients' decision-making capacity. Above that, the disease often also has a major impact on relatives of the patient. In this chapter we will describe the most common physical symptoms in the last months of life of patients with a glioma, and the impact the disease can have on daily life including the psychosocial and spiritual part of life. We will focus on the role of specialist nurses in the last months of life, illustrating the many challenges a nurse can face when caring for a patient with a glioma.