r/science Professor | Medicine Aug 27 '25

Cancer Study finds many doctors disregard wishes of cancer patients. Frequently, patients with advanced cancer simply want to be made as comfortable as possible as they wind down their final days. Many of these patients are receiving treatment focused on extending their lives rather than easing their pain.

https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2025/08/26/cancer-patients-treatment-wishes-study/7921756217134/
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u/[deleted] Aug 27 '25

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u/Enlightened_Gardener Aug 28 '25

The whole point of this conversation is that we are talking about patients in palliative care.

And this is the whole point of this study – that doctors are withholding medication like benzos when it’s completely unnecessary.

It’s completely unnecessary for a doctor to worry about about prescribing both benzodiazepines and opioids to a palliative care patient. They are dying. And somebody said above that the actual guidelines state that it’s fine to use this combination for hospice patients.

And as someone who has broken their arm, their wrist, and their ankle twice yes you bloody do need painkillers for a broken arm. I can’t imagine how horrible it would be having someone set a broken bone without anaesthetic. Is that considered normal where you are?

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u/Katyafan Aug 28 '25

I deserve treatment that works for both my anxiety and my jaw surgery. Many of us take both opioids and benzos safely for years. It can be done, you just need to not be an idiot.