Current opinion in supportive and palliative care
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As patients enter the palliative phase of their illness, both physical and psychological burdens change. Anxiety commonly increases as patients become aware of both the relative ineffectiveness of medical treatments in halting the progress of their disease and, consequently, their limited life expectancy. This review will allow clinicians to be more effective in helping patients manage their psychological distress. ⋯ It is our hope that this article will inform oncologists, oncology nurses and mental health workers about the prevalence, assessment and treatment options for anxiety in advanced cancer patients. Unfortunately, there is a scarcity of research in this field; we hope that this article will encourage the motivation for more studies to assess different treatments for anxiety in this population.