The palliative use of high-dose corticosteroids in three terminally ill patients with pain

Abstract

Corticosteroids are valuable pharmacological adjuncts utilized in the management of the diverse symptoms observed in terminally ill patients, including bone, neuropathic, and hepatic pain, asthenia and fatigue, and anorexia, and serve as an adjunct for the treatment of nausea and vomiting. If relief of suffering is the goal and mandate of palliative care, high-dose corticosteroids should be utilized in terminally ill patients for quickly reducing pain and improving quality of life for both patients and family members. In patients with a limited life expectancy of days to several weeks, long-term side effects will not occur and therefore should not preclude the continuous use of corticosteroids until the patient’s death. Three case studies are presented.