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Cancer - refuse treatment at end stage

Advance Decision at late stage of disease

You may wish for active intervention if you are in coma or a minimally conscious state.

Below are scenarios which you might like to consider. If you would like withdrawal or refusal of treatment in any or all of these situations, select the relevant options for the decisions to be added to your Advance Decision.

When your Advance Decision would apply

In each clinical situation described below, the opinion of two senior specialist doctors will decide that you show no signs of significant improvement meaning that you would return to virtually the same mental function as prior to the event. If this is the case, your Advance Decision will come into effect.

If you get a severe infection that, if not treated, could result in your death. The most common life threatening infection is a lung infection (pneumonia). In this circumstance:

  • You can decide you do not want any treatment that may keep you alive. Refusing treatment for a serious infection may shorten your life.
  • You wish to be kept comfortable and have every treatment to keep you comfortable, for example being sedated, to ensure you do not suffer pain or discomfort.

Category:

Cancer

Decision

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  • If I get a severe infection that could result in my death. I do not want any treatment that may keep me alive.

If you are in coma or in a minimally conscious state or have lost the ability to make decisions about your health and you require assisted mechanical ventilation. In this circumstance:

  • You may wish to refuse life support or have it removed. This includes:
    • If you are having difficulty breathing then you do not wish for any artificial ventilation.
    • If your general condition deteriorates so that drugs are required to keep you alive, then you do not wish any treatment for the purpose of keeping you alive.
    • If you are unable to eat or drink, then you do not wish to have any fluids or nutrition via tubes.
  • You understand that such removal of life support will cause your life to end.
  • You wish to be kept comfortable and have every treatment to keep you comfortable, for example being sedated, to ensure you do not suffer pain or discomfort.

Category:

Cancer

Decision

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  • If I am having difficulty breathing then I do not wish to have any form of artificial / assisted respiration.
  • If my general condition deteriorates so that drugs are required to keep me alive, then I do not want any treatment for the purpose of keeping me alive.
  • If I am unable to eat or drink, then I refuse clinically assisted hydration or nutrition.

If you are in coma or a minimally conscious state or have lost the ability to make decisions about your health but do not require life support. In this circumstance:

  • If during this period off all treatments you stop breathing or your heart stops, you do not wish for Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).
  • You understand that such refusal to receive treatment, hydration and/ or nutrition will shorten or end your life.
  • You wish to be kept comfortable and have every treatment to keep you comfortable, for example being sedated, to ensure you do not suffer pain or discomfort.

Category:

Cancer

Decision

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  • If I suffer a cardiac or respiratory arrest I do not wish cardio-pulmonary resuscitation.

 Final steps

To save your Advance Decision, select the 'Download' option under 'Document Builder'. You will then need to:

The same steps apply to your Advance Statement, if you have created one.

 

What to do after creating your Advance Decision

Informing family and / or close friends as well as you GP will ensure that the treatments you wish to refuse are known. This is the only way of making sure that your Advance Decision can be followed should you lose the ability to make decisions.

You should now therefore:

 

 

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