Palliative Care in Oncology

Historically, palliative care in oncology in the Indian setting began in mid-1980s. It concurrently started as a hospice movement and hospital-based palliative care services. The oncology palliative care need in India is rising due to increasing incidence of cancer and delays in diagnosis and late presentation. Lack of capacity to provide palliative care in terms of trained professionals, facilities and access to opioids limit the palliative care provision. In cancer care, palliative care should begin at diagnosis and should support the patients and their families throughout the illness trajectory until end of life and beyond. The primary purpose of palliative care is to enhance the quality of life, mitigate suffering and provide care at end of life. It is achieved by prompt assessment and management of symptoms, identifying psychosocial needs, communication, ethics-based decision making and comprehensive end-of-life care. Children and elderly constitute a special population in cancer care who have unique needs in comparison to adult population.