Palliative Care Journal Watch – Details, episodes & analysis

Our July 2025 episode was hosted by Dr Leonie Herx and Dr Sharon Watanabe.

During this episode, they highlight the following 5 articles:

1. Bowers M, Petrasso C, McLuskie A, et al. Multicomponent Interventions for Adults With Cancer Cachexia: A Systematic Review. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2025;16(2):e13716. doi:10.1002/jcsm.13716​​
2. Sandhya L, Devi Sreenivasan N, Goenka L, et al. Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study of Olanzapine for Chemotherapy-Related Anorexia in Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Gastric, Hepatopancreaticobiliary, and Lung Cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2023;41(14):2617- 2627. doi:10.1200/JCO.22.01997​
3. Arrieta O, Cárdenas-Fernández D, Rodriguez-Mayoral O, Gutierrez-Torres S, Castañares D, Flores- Estrada D, Reyes E, López D, Barragán P, Soberanis Pina P, Cardona AF, Turcott JG. Mirtazapine as Appetite Stimulant in Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and Anorexia: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Oncol. 2024 Mar 1;10(3):305-314. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2023.5232. PMID: 38206631; PMCID: PMC10784994.​
4. Groarke JD, Crawford J, Collins SM, et al. Ponsegromab for the Treatment of Cancer Cachexia. N Engl J Med. 2024;391(24):2291-2303. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2409515

To access slides, recordings and links to the articles discussed, visit our Journal Watch Webpage at: http://www.echopalliative.com/palliative-care-journal-watch/

In our April 2025 episode, our Host, Dr. Jose Pereira is joined by Dr. Sharon Watanabe, Dr. Aynharan Sinnarajah and Dr. Leonie Herx.

During this episode, they highlight the following 5 articles:

1. Yamaguchi T, Matsuda Y, Watanabe H, et al. Treatment Recommendation for Dyspnea in Patients with Advanced Disease: Revised Clinical Guidelines from the Japanese Society for Palliative Medicine. Journal of Palliative Medicine. 2024;27(10):1404-1414. 10.1089/jpm.2023.0667
2. Smallwood NE, Pascoe A, Wijsenbeek M, et al. Opioids for the palliation of symptoms in people with serious respiratory illness: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur Respir Rev. 2024;33(174):230265. doi:10.1183/16000617.0265-2023
3. Grudzen CR, Siman N, Cuthel AM, et al. Palliative Care Initiated in the Emergency Department: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2025;333(7):599-608. doi:10.1001/jama.2024.23696
4. Zhang Y, Kesler SR, Dietrich J, Chao HH. Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment: A Practical Guide for Oncologists. JCO Oncol Pract. Published online March 5, 2025:OP-24-00953. doi 10.1200/OP-24-00953

To access slides, recordings and links to the articles discussed, visit our Journal Watch Webpage at: http://www.echopalliative.com/palliative-care-journal-watch/

In our June 2023 episode, our host, Dr. Jose Pereira is joined by special guests Dr. Adrienne Selbie and Dr. Aynharan Sinnarajah.

During this episode, they highlight following 4 articles:

1. Chi N-C, Nakad L, Han S, et al. Family Caregivers’ Challenges in Cancer Pain Management for Patients Receiving Palliative Care. American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine®. 2023;40(1):43-51. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35503240/​
2. Groninger H, Nemati D, Cates C, Jordan K, Kelemen A, Shipp G, Munk N. Massage Therapy for Hospitalized Patients Receiving Palliative Care: A Randomized Clinical Trial. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2023 May;65(5):428-441. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2023.01.011. Epub 2023 Jan 31. PMID: 36731805. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36731805/​
3. Reblin M, Iacob E, Tay DL, Li H, Thomas Hebdon MC, Beck A, Donaldson G, Cloyes KG, Ellington L. Family Caregiver Reports of Their Own and Patient Symptoms in Cancer Home Hospice Approaching End-of-Life. Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 2023 May;40(5):508-516. doi: 10.1177/10499091221108119. Epub 2022 Jun 10. PMID: 35689339; PMCID: PMC9734284. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35689339/ ​
4. Zhukovsky DS, Heung Y, Enriquez P, Itzep N, Lu Z, Nortje N, Stanton P, Wong A, Bruera E. Just-in-Time Decision Making: Preliminary Findings of a Goals of Care Rapid Response Team. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2023 Apr;65(4):e337-e343. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2022.11.022. Epub 2022 Dec 8. PMID: 36496112; PMCID: PMC9729166. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36496112/​

To access slides, recordings and links to the articles discussed, visit our Journal Watch Webpage at: http://www.echopalliative.com/palliative-care-journal-watch/

In our March 2023 episode, our co-hosts, Dr. Jose Pereira and Dr. Leonie Herx, highlight the following 5 articles:

1. Bottoms, J., Nolen, A., Moore, J., Torabi, S., De Costa, S., Mays, H., & and Stilos, K. (2022). Factors that Delay Transfers from Acute Care to a Local Palliative Care Unit. Healthcare Quarterly, 25 (3), 36-41. doi:10.12927/hcq.2022.26943​
2. Hardy J, Greer R, Huggett G, Kearney A, Gurgenci T, Good P. Phase IIb Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Dose-Escalating, Double-Blind Study of Cannabidiol Oil for the Relief of Symptoms in Advanced Cancer (MedCan1-CBD). J Clin Oncol. 2022 Nov 21:JCO2201632. doi: 10.1200/JCO.22.01632. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36409969. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36409969/​
3. Abdelaal M, Avery J, Chow R, et al. Palliative care for adolescents and young adults with advanced illness: A scoping review. Palliative Medicine. 2023;37(1):88-107. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36352490/​
4. Turner N, Wahid A, Oliver P, Gardiner C, Chapman H, Khan Ppi Co-Author D, Boyd K, Dale J, Barclay S, Mayland CR, Mitchell SJ. Role and response of primary healthcare services in community end-of-life care during COVID-19: Qualitative study and recommendations for primary palliative care delivery. Palliat Med. 2023 Feb;37(2):235-243. doi: 10.1177/02692163221140435. Epub 2022 Dec 3. PMID: 36461707; PMCID: PMC9720421. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36461707/​
5. Neo SHS, Ku JSM, Tan JYT, Yoon S. Deciding to Live (or Not) With a Left Ventricular Assist Device-a Thematic Analysis Exploring Factors Influencing the Decision-Making Process in Advanced Heart Failure Patients in Singapore. American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine®. 2023;40(1):27-33. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35440184/​

To access slides, recordings and links to the articles discussed, visit our Journal Watch Webpage at: http://www.echopalliative.com/palliative-care-journal-watch/

In our January 2023 episode, our co-hosts, Dr. Jose Pereira and Dr. Adrienne Selbie, are joined by special guest Dr. Aynharan Sinnarajah.

During this episode, they highlight 4 articles on the following topics: self-perceived burden for people with life-threatening illness, psycho-existential symptom assessment scale (PeSAS) screening in palliative care, how advance care planning can support hope in patients with advanced cancer and the treatment of positive urine cultures at end-of-life and the effect on terminal delirium management.

To access slides, recordings and links to the articles discussed, visit our Journal Watch Webpage at: http://www.echopalliative.com/palliative-care-journal-watch/

In our November 2022 episode, our host, Dr. Leonie Herx, is joined by special guests Dr. Anna Voeuk and Dr. Jean Mathews.

During this episode, they highlight 4 articles on the following topics: prognostic scores in comparison to clinician judgment, scaling out a palliative compassionate community, the impact and experience of cardiac cachexia in patients with advanced heart failure and their caregivers, barriers to buprenorphine prescribing for opioid use disorder in hospice and palliative care.

To access slides, recordings and links to the articles discussed, visit our Journal Watch Webpage at: http://www.echopalliative.com/2022/04/02/palliative-care-journal-watch/

In our September 2022 episode, our co-hosts, Dr. Jose Pereira and Dr. Leonie Herx, are joined by their special guest, Dr. Anna Voeuk.

During this episode, they highlight 4 articles on the following topics: public health palliative care, palliative care needs and experiences of people in prison, opioids and hypotension and existential suffering in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

To access slides, recordings and links to the articles discussed, visit our Journal Watch Webpage at: http://www.echopalliative.com/palliative-care-journal-watch/

In our May 2022 episode, our co-hosts, Dr. Jose Pereira and Dr. Leonie Herx, are joined by their special guests, Dr. Jordan Lafranier and Lisa Weatherbee, RN.

During this episode, they highlight 4 articles on the following topics: optimal timing to initiate advance care planning, variability among online opioid conversion calculators, differences in goals of care discussion outcomes among healthcare professionals and the benefits/ harms of hypodermoclysis of patients in palliative care.

To access slides, recordings and links to the articles discussed, visit our Journal Watch Webpage at: http://www.echopalliative.com/palliative-care-journal-watch/

In our April 2022 episode, our host, Dr. Leonie Herx is joined by her special guests, Dr. Jean Mathews and Dr. Anna Voeuk. During this episode, they highlight 4 articles on the following topics: generalist vs. specialist palliative care, advance care planning and advance directives, nasal high flow therapy for symptom management and opioid safety recommendations in adult palliative medicine.

To access slides, recordings and links to the articles discussed, visit our Journal Watch Webpage at: http://www.echopalliative.com/palliative-care-journal-watch/

In our January 2022 episode, our hosts, Dr. Jose Pereira and Dr. Leonie Herx are joined by their special guests, Dr. Jean Mathews and Dr. Aynharan Sinnarajah. During this episode, they highlight 5 articles on the following topics: Palliative sedation, artificial nutrition and hydration at the end of life, End of life care for recent immigrants, interdisciplinary roles in goals of care conversations and Mirtazapine in cancer-associated anorexia and cachexia.

To access slides, recordings and links to the articles discussed, visit our Journal Watch Webpage at: http://www.echopalliative.com/palliative-care-journal-watch/