[How Do We Integrate Advance Care Planning into Cancer Treatment?]

Abstract

In the field of cancer care, it is still difficult to say that advance care planning(ACP)has been fully integrated, and the perceptions of ACP vary depending on the individual's role. Since oncologists have a deeper understanding of the patient's condition and prognosis than the patients themselves, they are often the first to recognize the future need for ACP. It is important to gather and incorporate patients' preferences and relevant information regarding ACP early in the course of daily cancer treatment. However, many oncologists and medical staffs still lack sufficient understanding of ACP or find it difficult because they do not understand the procedure. To address this, we have established an in-hospital working group to organize how to share information with medical staff, such as nurses, who play a crucial role in ACP. While many oncologists find it difficult to deliver bad news to patients, oncologists are the only ones who can introduce ACP at the appropriate time. With the advent of cancer genomic medicine, there have been cases where patients, previously considered terminal under conventional care, have gained new opportunities for improvement. It is essential to integrate ACP into cancer care by recognizing the unique advantage oncologists have in adapting to the rapid changes in cancer treatment.