(NAPS)—Palliative care helps prevent, manage and relieve the symptoms of cancer and the side effects of cancer treatment, but too few patients with cancer receive this essential extra level of care.
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the world’s leading professional organization of doctors who provide cancer care, aims to change this and has launched an online Palliative Care Resource Center that provides a wide range of information and tools for physicians and patients.
In addition to treating physical issues that may accompany cancer and cancer treatment, such as pain, fatigue and nausea, palliative care also focuses on supporting a patient’s emotional, spiritual and practical needs—and those of a patient’s family and caregivers.
Anyone, regardless of age or type and stage of cancer, may receive palliative care before, after and during treatment. Talking about palliative care soon after a cancer diagnosis helps patients better understand their prognosis and goals of treatment, clarifies their expectations, and maintains their quality of life.
ASCO is committed to facilitating the integration of palliative care into standard cancer care and will continue to offer support and leadership for various initiatives that will help ensure that every patient with cancer has access to this important part of a cancer treatment plan.
ASCO’s new webpage offers a comprehensive library of palliative care resources for physicians and features videos, podcasts and other materials for patients provided by ASCO’s patient website, Cancer.Net.
To learn more about palliative care in cancer treatment, visit the ASCO Palliative Care Resource Center at www.asco.org/pallonc.
