Professor Joaquim Julià Torras is the main author of the paper, titled: “Prevalence, Clinical Characteristics, and Management of Episodic Dyspnea in Advanced Lung Cancer Outpatients: A Multicenter Nationwide Study—The INSPIRA-DOS Study.” Among others, Dr Josep Porta, co-director of the WeCare Chair (2013-2021); and Dr Deborah Moreno, lecturer for the Department of Medicine and Palliative Care Unit physician at the Catalan Institute of Oncology.

The award, which includes a €1,000 endowment, was presented in the plenary session of the 18th World Congress of the European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC), held in Rotterdam from 15 to 17 June. The interest in palliative care research is clear as the article already had 563 full-text downloads at the time the award was announced, according to the Journal of Palliative Medicine, editor-in-chief.

With extensive experience in the field of palliative care, Julià’s focused the article on the prevalence, clinical characteristics and breathlessness crises, one of the most common problems for advanced lung cancer outpatients. The results have shown that breathlessness or shortness of breath crises are very common and serious in this type of oncological patients who also suffer from underlying dyspnoea. As Julià and the rest of the researchers conclude, more studies are needed to better define this type of dyspnoea and thus be able to determine treatments and trial protocols more carefully.

The award-winning article is part of Julià’s doctoral thesis, directed by Dr Josep Porta and Dr Deborah Moreno, also researchers of the WeCare Chair: End-of-Life Care. Joaquim Julià began this academic year as the Chair co-director together with Cristina Monforte, current vice-rector for Research, Innovation and Transfer at the UIC Barcelona. Monforte combines this position with her position as head of the Palliative Care Service of the Catalan Institute of Oncology in Badalona.