When Is Hospice Appropriate? The Role for Hospice in Palliating Patients with Bone Metastases

Patients living with metastatic bone disease have numerous concerns impacting quality of life (QOL). Over recent years, the field of palliative care has developed into an essential service which provides supportive care to address QOL concerns for patients and their family caregivers. Palliative care should be integrated from the time of diagnosis of a serious illness and extend through treatment, survival, and at the end of life. Collaboration between oncology clinicians and palliative care specialists insures optimum care for patients with metastatic bone disease to manage symptoms and provide optimum family support and psychosocial care.