The psychological vital signs of incurable cancer: implications for training and practice

Abstract

People are living longer lives with incurable cancer, and the number of people living with incurable/metastatic cancer is growing. Although people are surviving longer, the quality of their life has yet to receive adequate research attention. Psychological vital signs, evidence-based psychological signs, and symptoms that are critical to patient well-being can be applied to the well-being of patients living with cancer. This fits with the current shift to integrative cancer treatment that incorporates multiple aspects of the patient and prioritizes patient-centered care. The current article will provide a clinician-friendly review of the psychological vital signs that relate to patients’ well-being when they are living with cancer indefinitely, when they are diagnosed with cancer but are not actively dying. Implications for education, future research, and practical assessment will be addressed.