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Cancer Treatment for Terminal Patients

For most patients with terminal cancer, the goal of cancer treatment is to manage symptoms rather than to fight the cancer. This type of cancer treatment is called palliative care.

  1. Definition

    • Doctors prescribe palliative care to treat a terminal cancer patient's symptoms. Treatment of symptoms reduces pain and increases quality of life. It is recommended for cancer patients with no available treatments to fight or delay the cancer's progression.

    Location

    • Most palliative care is performed at home with visits from health professionals or in nursing homes. When a symptom cannot be managed by hospice care, the patient may be moved temporarily to a hospital.

    People

    • The team of people who provide hospice care includes doctors, nurses, social workers, chaplains and family members.

    Function

    • In palliative care, doctors still prescribe chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. For example, doctors prescribe chemotherapy to minimize the size of tumors causing pain.

    Benefits

    • Palliative care allows a terminal cancer patient to feel better while spending her final weeks and months at home with family and friends. Hospice care focuses on quality of life, rather than prolonging the length of life.

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