In recent years, there has been a trend towards early intervention in palliative care, and the scope of recipients has expanded. In addition to individuals with end-stage solid tumors and organ diseases, the recipients of palliative care now include terminal frail elderly, patients with myelodysplastic syndromes and other rare diseases, and individuals with limited life expectancy meeting the criteria outlined in Article 14, Paragraphs 1, Subparagraphs 2 to 5 of the Patient Right to Autonomy Act. However, in hematologic malignancies, palliative care interventions remain a significant challenge as hematologists consult palliative care less frequently due to the rapid and fluctuating changes along the clinical course of the disease and the obstacles within the medical system itself.
The article strives to identify the palliative care needs of patients with hematologic malignancies and the difficulties and obstacles they encounter; existing palliative interventions available for this group of patients around the globe have further been examined with the hope that lessons learned from others’ experiences can serve as inspirations for developing palliative interventions marked with better timing and greater benefits.