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Pirfenidone Disease Modification vs Symptom Relief — SCE Palliative Medicine MCQ

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EasyRespiratory SymptomsPirfenidone Disease Modification vs Symptom ReliefSCE Palliative Medicine

A 70-year-old man with advanced idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) has been offered pirfenidone but asks whether it will help his breathlessness. What should he be told?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

Reveal the answer and explanation

Correct answer: D — Pirfenidone slows the rate of decline in lung function but does not reverse existing damage or directly improve current symptoms

Explanation lettering: C = shown as B · B = shown as C

Option D is correct. UK NICE guidance (TA504, 2018) recommends pirfenidone for adults with mild to moderate IPF and affirms it slows disease progression and decline in lung function—it is a disease‑modifying agent, not one that reverses fibrosis or provides immediate relief of symptoms like breathlessness. Options A, C and E are incorrect: pirfenidone does not acutely improve breathlessness, is not a bronchodilator, and does not cure IPF. Option B is misleading: while it is indicated for mild‑to‑moderate disease, the key point is not its restriction but its mechanism of action as modifying disease course rather than relieving current symptoms.

Reference: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/conditions-and-diseases/cancer/palliative-care