Current trends in antimicrobial use and the role of antimicrobial stewardship in palliative oncology: a narrative review

Overuse of antimicrobials in palliative oncology care is prevalent, with up to 86.9% of terminal cancer patients receiving these agents during end-of-life care. This overuse is due to recurrent infections, immunosuppression, malnutrition, and difficulty distinguishing infection-related symptoms from cancer-related complications. Effective antimicrobial stewardship strategies, such as integrating infection management into goals-of-care discussions, are crucial for minimizing antibiotic exposure and improving care quality in terminally ill patients.