Palliative care consults in oncology: what are we waiting for? A case report

Abstract

Palliative care focuses on symptom management and decreased suffering in all aspects of health. Although it has been shown that palliative care improves emotional and clinical outcomes for patients and families, it remains an underutilized specialty particularly in the field of oncology. Involving cancer patients in palliative care can sometimes be confused with the idea of giving up, or losing hope. This is especially true when patients are young. The following case report provides an example of a patient who may have benefited from palliative specialists’ involvement early in his disease, potentially sparing him and his family prolonged, physical, and emotional suffering.