The state of development of palliative care in Argentina

Prior to 1960 severe under-treatment of cancer pain was the rule of thumb in Argentina and was described as unavoidable. Cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment were subjects of interest, but symptom control was excluded. The majority of cancer patients was not treated for pain at all, or was treated inadequately. In the period from 1960 to 1980, cancer pain management was the duty of some anesthesiologists that performed different analgesic procedures with erratic results. Around 1980 a growing number of health professionals became aware of the magnitude of cancer symptoms and many of them began to provide adequate control for them. Palliative care was then introduced in the medical scenario and since then the health authority, health professionals, and the community slowly and progressively recognized its importance. Yet despite the progress made in the last decades, access to palliative care is inconsistent and only a small fraction of patients with cancer pain receive adequate treatment. T...