Supportive and palliative care enhances quality of life

Cancer patients often experience pain, nausea, emotional distress, and other symptoms caused by the disease and/or the side effects of treatment. Caregivers may become stressed and overwhelmed, too. When those issues grow beyond basic, expected side effects and are no longer under control, supportive and palliative care can help.

Palliative care experts can help make life easier and more comfortable through pain management, nutritional advice, emotional support, and other specialized services. The team includes physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains, and mental health professionals — all of whom can assist with a range of issues, including health care planning.

The importance of palliative care

Research shows that patients who take advantage of supportive and palliative care tend to live longer, have better pain control, and have an improved quality of life. That’s why it’s ideal for patients to “receive supportive and palliative care earlier in their illness rather than later, so they can receive the maximum benefit from the service,” explains Mercy Tomy, MD, Assistant Professor of Oncology in the Department of Supportive and Palliative Care.

So why do many people avoid it? “Palliative care is sometimes confused with hospice care,” says Dr. Tomy. “Palliative care is provided to patients at any stage of chronic illness, whereas hospice care is intensive palliative care given for patients who are expected to live six months or less. Palliative care includes hospice care, but not all palliative care is hospice care.”

“So, if your medical team recommends a palliative care team consultation, that does not mean they are recommending hospice care for you.”

If you think you or a loved one would benefit from these supportive care services, please ask your Roswell Park physician for a referral to the Supportive and Palliative Care Department. A team-based approach to better quality of life is just around the corner.