Abstract

The "Oxford Textbook of Palliative Medicine" has firmly established itself as the definitive book on the subject and is highly acclaimed world-wide. The new edition has been significantly revised and updated to reflect the enormous changes in palliative care over the last five years. Two new international co-editors, Nathan Cherny and Sir Kenneth Calman, have been recruited and bring vast experience to the book. The new edition includes sixty-six completely new chapters and contributors. New sections and chapters devoted exclusively to such non-malignant conditions as cardiac disease, non-malignant respiratory disease, non-malignant neurological disease and AIDS have been added as well as new chapters on palliative medicine in intensive care and geriatric care, and complementary and alternative therapies in palliative medicine. There is a brand new section on contributions to palliative care of occupational therapists, physiotherapists, music, art and speech therapists, stoma therapists, clinical pharmacists and clinical psychologists. Every chapter used in the first two editions have been radically reviewed and brought up-to-date. There are authoritative international contributions from over 150 renowned experts. The book is written for doctors, specialist palliative medicine physicians, oncologists, geriatricians, surgeons, family physicians, neurologists and chest physicians. We know, however, that it is much used by nurses and researchers in other disciplines, though not written primarily for them.