Symptom Assessment

Patients with advanced disease experience severe physical and psychological symptoms which are often underdiagnosed and often addressed only when severe and debilitating. Recent studies have shown that routine assessment of symptoms is significantly associated with improvement of quality of life and extending survival. The optimal delivery of quality palliative care involves improving quality of life by impeccable assessment of physical and psychosocial symptoms. Routine screening of symptoms using validated tools often results in thorough assessment of the significant symptoms and prompt and optimal management of symptom distress. This chapter reviews the key aspects involved in screening and assessment of symptoms.