Palliative Medicine for Curable and Terminal Cancers

This chapter provides answers to practice-based questions with case studies covering the new principles of diagnosis, classification, staging, treatment, and outcomes in the rapidly advancing field of palliative medicine for curable and terminal cancers. With the development and use of novel therapeutic agents, patients with curable and terminal cancers are living longer and requiring further palliation or supportive care of their symptoms, be it from their underlying disease or from side effects of therapies. As a result, there is a growing need for input from palliative care specialists to appropriately manage symptoms, especially in the context of which stage of disease a patient is in and their goals of care. Palliative care has become a vital component of the overall care of cancer patients.