Literature Review

Acupuncture and acupressure for cancer symptom management: An opinion statement based on preliminary evidence mappingCurrent Treatment Options in Oncology; by Nada Lukkahatai, Jingyu Zhang, Chitchanok Benjasirisan, Sutthida Phongphanngam, Aomei Shen, Phakjira Jaiman, Jennifer Kawi, Thomas J. Smith, Leorey N. Saligan; 1/26 Symptom management remains a critical priority in oncology, particularly as many survivors continue to experience fatigue, pain, sleep disturbance, neuropathy, and psychological distress despite advances in treatment. Conventional pharmacologic options often provide only partial relief and may be limited by side effects. Acupuncture and acupressure have emerged as promising non-pharmacologic approaches, but the supporting evidence is drawn from a broad and heterogeneous literature. In this opinion paper, we provide a preliminary overview of the current review-level evidence to highlight general trends and evolving areas of promise, while emphasizing the need for further sham-controlled studies to clarify effectiveness and guide integration of acupuncture and acupressure into supportive oncology.

This American Heart Month, Carolina Caring elevates cardiac care for serious illness Carolina Caring, Newton, NC; Press Release; 2/9/26 February is American Heart Month, a national effort to raise awareness about heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. As of 2025, 6.7 million Americans over the age of 20 are living with heart failure (Heart Failure Society of America, 2025). ... In response, Carolina Caring’s Advanced Cardiac Care program provides effective, tailored support to patients with chronic heart conditions. As the first cardiac care program of its kind in North Carolina, Carolina Caring combines nationally recognized standards of care with a home-based hospice approach. 

Palliative external beam radiation therapy for dysphagia in a 101-year-old man with esophageal adenocarcinomaCureus; by Pericles J. Ioannides, Jester M. Odrunia, Gina N. Perez, Morgan Butow, Georg A. Weidlich; 1/26Esophageal adenocarcinoma in centenarians is rare, and treatment options in this age group are limited. We present the case of a 101-year-old male patient with symptomatic distal gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma who presented with progressive dysphagia, aspiration, and weight loss. The patient underwent palliative external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) ... targeting the obstructive esophageal mass with a margin using volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) technique. The treatment was well tolerated by the patient with no significant acute toxicity. After treatment, the patient reported clinically meaningful improvement in functional status, with improved swallowing, advancing from liquids to a soft diet, weight gain, and improved QoL. Moderate-dose palliative radiation can be a safe and effective treatment in a centenarian with obstructive GEJ adenocarcinoma, particularly when endoscopic interventions are not successful or durable.

Advance care planning for patients with hematologic malignancies: A narrative reviewAmerican Journal of Hospice & Palliative Medicine; by Olivia M. Seecof; 1/26Advance care planning (ACP) completion rates are higher in patients with serious illness compared to the general population, however, ACP is overall under-utilized and sub-optimal, especially for patients with hematologic malignancies. This patient population can experience unique and significant physical and psychological symptoms due to their illness and the treatment, resulting in high rates of aggressive end of life care. This high healthcare utilization pattern often triggers ACP conversations and documentation, often facilitated by specialty palliative care clinicians. This review article examines existing literature about ACP for patients with hematologic malignancies with the intent to inform future prospective research to improve values-based patient care.

Community Hospice & Palliative Care unveils Advanced Cardiac Care Program Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 2/9/26 Florida-based Community Hospice & Palliative Care has launched an Advanced Cardiac Care Program to serve patients and families wrestling with heart disease. The hospice, an affiliate of Alivia Care, designed the program in collaboration with the American Heart Association (AHA) and the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation. It will provide a suite of services specifically designed for patients with cardiac conditions.

EV0034 Palliative pain relief: A case study of high-frequency spinal cord stimulation in an end-of-life cancer patientNeuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface; P. Majedi, Dominic Bailey; 1/26A significant proportion of patients with cancer will experience cancer-related pain at some point during their illness. The treatment approach for cancer-related pain is often multifaceted and may necessitate the use of advanced interventional methods, including spinal cord stimulation (SCS). Recent studies have demonstrated the utility and efficacy of SCS techniques in the treatment of cancer-related pain and chemotherapy induced neuropathy. Here, we present a case report on a patient receiving high frequency SCS at 10 kHz for end-stage cancer-related pain.

Many patients with advanced blood cancers delay hospice to keep access to blood transfusionManaged Healthcare Executive; by Briana Contreras; 2/4/26Key Takeaways:

How to responsibly use AI in palliative care and hematologic malignancies CancerNetwork; podcast by Ram Prakash Thirugnanasambandam, MBBS; 2/2/26 In a conversation with CancerNetwork®, Ram Prakash Thirugnanasambandam, MBBS, discussed the evolving roles that artificial intelligence (AI)–based tools may play in palliative care and the management of different hematologic malignancies. ... According to Thirugnanasambandam, implementing AI into one’s workflow may help accurately predict disease subtypes and burdens among patients with leukemia, lymphoma, or multiple myeloma. ... Thirugnanasambandam also discussed some of the ethical considerations surrounding the growth of AI-based tools, highlighting information privacy concerns and potentially biased datasets as notable issues with these platforms. Although AI may assist with decision-making, Thirugnanasambandam stated that it ultimately cannot replace a human’s nuanced clinical judgment and empathy.

Concurrent care and equity: Addressing palliative care gaps for African American men in rural communities with a serious respiratory illnessAmerican Journal of Hospice & Palliative Medicine; by Cathy L. Campbell; 12/25Hospice and palliative care are often hard to access for African Americans (AA) living in rural areas with serious respiratory illnesses. Under the Medicare Hospice Benefit, patients must stop curative or life-sustaining treatments for their terminal illness, which limits options for concurrent care. This is a major challenge for AA men, whose average life expectancy is 67.8 years—about 10 years shorter than the national average. They also experience more care transitions in the last 6 months of life compared to White and Hispanic patients. These frequent transitions show how fragmented the health system is and how it often fails AA families. Using intersectionality and a vignette, this paper explores how overlapping factors—lived experience as AA man, rural location, and serious illness—affect access to palliative care.

[Australia] Cancer and dementia incidence are strongly correlated worldwide: Evidence from cross-national regression analysesFuture Science OA; by Wenpeng You, Brendon J Coventry, Maciej Henneberg; 12/25Cancer and dementia are two major health problems affecting millions of people around the world. Countries with higher cancer rates almost always have higher dementia rates. Even after we accounted for income, life expectancy, and other social factors, cancer remained one of the strongest predictors of dementia. These findings suggest that cancer and dementia share many of the same underlying causes, such as aging, chronic inflammation, lifestyle habits, and changes that come with economic development. Understanding these shared patterns can help countries plan for future healthcare needs.

Patients with terminal blood cancer stress need for transfusion access in hospice care, survey findsHematology Advisor; by Joantahn Goodman, MPhil; 1/28/26  Patients with blood cancer eligible for hospice care emphasize the importance of access to transfusion over other services, according to research published in JAMA Network Open. The survey-based study confirms that, among patients with an estimated life expectancy of 6 months or less, routine hospice services are perceived of less value than transfusion access — suggesting that palliative transfusion availability should be incorporated into hospice care universally, the authors noted in their report.

10 things I learned after 10 years with ovarian cancer Cure; by Kelly Irvin; 1/22/26 My birthday was January 20. ...  I received my stage 4 ovarian cancer diagnosis on Jan. 16, 2016. ... So here I am still alive ten years later on my 68th birthday. ... I feel I’m allowed to share what I wish my younger self had known when I received my diagnosis. Counting down to number one, here are my lessons learned: