Does palliative medicine provide palliative care?

Palliative care addresses physical concerns such as pain, nausea, breathlessness, tiredness, poor appetite and sleep problems. It can also support emotional distress, family communication, treatment decisions and planning for care at home. The team may include palliative medicine doctors, nurses and other professionals working with the oncology team. This care can start from diagnosis and continue during chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery or other cancer treatment; it is not limited to the final phase of life.

Tell the treating team which symptoms interfere with eating, sleeping, moving, working or caring for yourself. Bring your medicine list and explain which treatments help, which do not and which cause unwanted effects. A family member or trusted person can join the discussion if you wish. Requesting palliative care does not commit you to a particular decision about cancer treatment; the plan should reflect your current priorities and can change as your needs change.

Call your oncology or palliative care service soon when a symptom is worsening, medicines cannot be kept down, side effects are difficult to manage or the care plan no longer controls distress. Get urgent medical help for severe trouble breathing, new marked confusion, inability to wake normally, uncontrolled bleeding, sudden new weakness, a seizure or severe pain that does not settle with the prescribed rescue plan. Use the contact and emergency guidance your team has provided.

You may want to ask which concerns the palliative team can manage, how appointments fit around oncology visits and who to contact outside clinic hours. It can also help to clarify whether care is available at home, how family members can be supported and how your preferences will be shared across the clinical team.