History
The CUF Porto Hospital has a cancer centre - CUF Oncologia, since the overture, in 2010, committed in clinical care of outpatients and inpatients with solid tumours and haematological malignancies. Since then, all the patients have been supported by the department staff that worked closely with other specialities in a multidisciplinary way.
In 2014, a dedicated area to palliative care was set up with a specialised team ensuring support care to inpatients and outpatients with chronic and progressive malignant diseases, during the different stages of their illness, going through antitumor interventions or not.
Profile
The Oncology and Palliative Care Department is committed in clinical care of adult patients with solid tumours or haematological malignancies. All the patients, benefiting or not from further antitumour treatments, are cared for by the Palliative Care team. The facilities of the centre include a fully staffed outpatient clinic for administration of cancer therapies and a fully staffed Palliative Care Unit. The cancer centre staff works closely with other specialists to ensure patient care and multidisciplinary, with a more regular support by Psycho-Oncology, Nutrition and Physiotherapy.
The cancer centre also emphasises clinical research and teaching (pre- and post-graduation nurses and post-graduation residences).
A Palliative Care consultation is also available in the centre.
The Palliative Care team also provides support to patients' family and caregivers.
Specialities
The Oncology and Palliative Care Department is committed to treat all the patients with oncologic malignancies, giving them an integrated, comprehensive and humanised reply.
From all the diagnoses, lung cancer is still the most common, which means that the palliative care team has a great experience in treating patients with this malignancy.
The centre is also involved in clinical trials.
Palliative and Supportive Care
The Palliative Care Unit is committed in treating all the patients with chronic and progressive malignant diseases, in any stage of their illness, going through antitumor interventions or not, with a 24 hours/365 days admission policy.
The patients in the Palliative Care Unit are under the clinical responsibility of the Palliative Care team; however, Oncologists and all other specialists have their place as active team consultants, according to an interdisciplinary work.
All the patients have a continuity of care service until death, just as families are supported in their bereavement: all outpatients, or their carers, can contact by telephone whenever necessary (there is an after-hours telephone service run by nurses that provides support to the patient and family/carer).
For all the inpatients in the Palliative Care Unit, the hospital discharge is prepared in advance, so the patient and their family may be assured of proper monitoring and continuity of care at home (contracting support services, private or support from the national health system, according to their wishes).
Last update: April 2025
