Question

A 62-year-old woman with advanced metastatic breast cancer is admitted with worsening pain despite escalating opioids. She asks whether anything more can be done to improve her comfort and worries about burdening her family. According to Canadian palliative care principles and CanMEDS roles, what is the most appropriate response?

Accepted Answer

Explore her goals and concerns, involve an interdisciplinary palliative care team, and optimise multimodal pain management.

Answer

Explain that nothing further can be done and that she should accept her discomfort.

Answer

Focus solely on increasing opioid doses without addressing psychosocial concerns.

Answer

Avoid discussing prognosis or supports to prevent distress.

Answer

Suggest that she should refrain from expressing worries to avoid upsetting her family.

Practice question