Although standards for palliative treatment of cancer patients at end of life are available, their use is perceived to vary among institutions depending on the prevailing philosophy of care. In this retrospective study, we reviewed the treatment of dying cancer patients receiving intravenous morphine transferred from a cancer center to a palliative care hospital. We recorded the dose of morphine and the use of other palliative medications, including adjuvant analgesic drugs. Although morphine doses tended to decrease after the transfer, the use of palliative medications was similar in the two institutions.
