David Currow, BMed, PhD, MPH, FRACP, FAChPM, FAHMS, GAICD of Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia, discusses chronic breathlessness in cancer patients. Breathlessness is a major problem for people affected by cancer, which can be a result of the disease, comorbidities, or getting weak from cachexia. Dr Currow mentions the importance of stepwise progression: treating the treatable, then moving to the non-pharmacological support and finally to low-dose regular extended-release morphine. Breathlessness is incredibly debilitating and leads to further deconditioning. Dr Currow highlights the symposium data showing the importance of reversing the reversible causes. Recorded at the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) and International Society of Ocular Oncology (ISOO) 2016 Annual Meeting on Supportive Care in Cancer held in Adelaide, Australia.
