Palliative chemotherapy and best supportive care for stage IV ovarian cancer patient.

Background: Palliative chemotherapy is the treatment designed for terminal cancer patients to prolong survival and ease symptoms but not cure disease. Best Supportive Care (BSC) is the treatment of choice when cure is not achievable with anticancer agents and involves management of disease-related symptoms. Advanced cancer is generally characterized by loss of moving possibilities, increasing resting time, and gradual loss of interactional capacity. The end of life is defined by: evolution of the malignant disease, depletion of conventional anticancer alternatives and signs of approaching death. Objective: To highlight the importance of delivering palliative chemotherapy lines in order to prolong survival, to control patients' symptoms at the end of the life and to support the family in accordance to the ethical and legal rules for our country. The aim of the whole treatment applied is to enhance quality of life by the relief of symptoms, once they occur. Methods: We report the case of a 48 year old female patient, diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer, who received three chemotherapy lines. She was hospitalized with severe pain (lumbar and right thigh), dyspnea, and anorexia with important nausea. The therapeutic attitude focused on controlling the patient's symptoms and to provide counseling for the family as well. Conclusion: Best supportive care for cancer patients is a mainstay of palliative care. The goal of palliative care is to achieve the best quality of life for patients and their families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]