PAIN AND THE CHOICE TO HASTEN DEATH IN PATIENTS WITH PAINFUL METASTATIC CANCER

Unrelieved pain has been cited as an important reason why cancer patie nts may seek to hasten their deaths. We interviewed 48 patients with p ainful metastatic cancer to ascertain their interest in various active and passive modes of hastening death. Ninety percent of these patient s supported the general right of terminally ill patients to passive mo des of hastening death and 80% supported the right to active modes suc h as assisted suicide and euthanasia. If they developed severe pain th at could not be relieved, 80% would instruct their physician write a ' 'do not attempt resuscitation'' order, 40%-50% would want to receive s uicide information or a lethal prescription from their physician, and 34% would request a lethal injection from their physician. Current pai n and depression levels were not associated with interest in hastening death, but current somatic symptom burden was significantly associate d with this interest.