Palliative care research

At VCU Massey Cancer Center, our palliative care research is aimed at the relief of suffering and improvement of the quality of life for people who are living with advanced illness or are bereaved. Our studies address the quality of cancer care and quality-of-life outcomes for people approaching death or managing pain from cancer or its treatment.

Leadership and research are provided by Egidio Del Fabbro, M.D., Laurie Lyckholm, M.D., and Patrick Coyne, R.N. Their research aims to increase awareness, knowledge and skills related to palliative care to the public, health care providers, patients and volunteers, and to relieve suffering as well as test new methods to decrease pain. They have several funded projects that examine the use of a narcotic delivery system and alternative medicine strategies to manage pain in cancer patients.