Daily care involving proximity with a malodorous patient in the terminal stage of cancer has often proved difficult for the caregiver. Whatever the cause of the primary cancer, three sources of noxious odor can exist or coexist: necrosis, superinfection, and perspiration and/or discharge. The proposed treatment calls for a twofold approach: internal or general and external or local. The internal treatment consists mainly of antibiotics and often involves the combined use of two drugs. Local treatment is applied “à la carte” according to the origin of the odors. Wounds, vomiting, diarrhea, and so on can be treated with specific treatments which will be discussed further.
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