What type of consult would you expect to be ordered for a patient with stage IV terminal lung cancer experiencing increasing pain?

A palliative care consult would be expected for a patient with stage IV terminal lung cancer experiencing increasing pain because the primary focus of palliative care is to provide relief from pain and other distressing symptoms associated with serious illness. Palliative care aims to improve the quality of life for both the patient and their family by addressing physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. This approach is particularly important in advanced cancer cases, where managing pain and other symptoms becomes a priority alongside any ongoing treatments.

While oncology consults can be valuable, they typically focus on curative or disease-directed treatments rather than symptom management. A neurology consult wouldn’t be appropriate unless there are specific neurological symptoms that warrant investigation. Similarly, a general surgery consult is unlikely to be relevant in this context since surgical interventions are not typically indicated for terminal cancer patients primarily focused on symptom relief. Therefore, the palliative care consult is the most suitable choice for addressing the patient’s increasing pain effectively.