Too few patients receive this vital support — here’s why you should ask for it.

When most people hear the words “palliative care,” they think it means giving up. In truth, palliative care is not about dying — it is about living as well as possible, from the very first day of diagnosis.

Just as a hospital admission begins with discharge planning, cancer care should begin with palliative care. It provides an added layer of support, focused on comfort and quality of life, while medical teams focus on treating the disease.

What palliative care really is:

Palliative care is specialized medical support that helps patients and families manage symptoms, reduce stress, and improve well-being. It can begin at diagnosis and continue alongside chemotherapy, immunotherapy, surgery or radiation, according to the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute.

Teams often include doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, chaplains and nutritionists. Their focus is not replacing an oncologist but partnering with them to keep patients stronger and more resilient throughout treatment.

Palliative care helps with:

• Pain, nausea, fatigue and poor appetite.
• Emotional distress such as anxiety, depression or fear.
• Practical challenges like navigating appointments, transportation and insurance.
• Spiritual support such as connection to faith, values or inner peace.

Research published in the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of Clinical Oncology shows that patients who receive early palliative care experience less depression, better symptom control and in some cases even longer survival.

Hospice care: a subset of palliative care

Hospice care is a specific type of palliative care for people whose life expectancy is six months or less and who are no longer pursuing curative treatment, according to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization.

The focus shifts to comfort, dignity and spending meaningful time with loved ones. Hospice services may include nurses available 24/7, medications and equipment at home, and grief counseling for families.

The distinction is simple:

• Palliative care can be provided anytime after diagnosis, alongside treatment.
• Hospice begins when treatment is no longer effective or desired, with the focus entirely on comfort.
• All hospice is palliative care, but not all palliative care is hospice.

A glaring gap in care

Despite the proven benefits, palliative care is still underutilized. A 2025 study published in PLOS One found that only about 25 percent of cancer patients received specialty palliative care, and many of those referrals came very late in the illness course. This means millions of patients miss out on services that could ease their treatment journey and improve their quality of life.

That is why patients and families must speak up. If your cancer center does not automatically offer palliative care, ask your oncologist directly: “Can I have a palliative care referral?”

Myths and truths

Myth: Palliative care means I’m dying.
Truth: It can start at diagnosis, alongside active treatment.

Myth: Hospice means giving up hope.
Truth: Hospice shifts hope toward comfort, dignity and meaningful time.

Myth: Hospice care is only in facilities.
Truth: Most hospice care is provided at home.

Complementary care

Many palliative and hospice programs encourage therapies that ease symptoms: massage, acupuncture, music therapy, art therapy, meditation or prayer. The World Health Organization says these do not replace treatment but help patients live more fully.

The bottom line

• Palliative care is comfort and support from diagnosis onward.
• Hospice is palliative care for the final months of life, when treatment is no longer effective or desired.
• Advance care planning protects patients and families from uncertainty.
• Complementary therapies can improve quality of life.
• Yet only about one in four cancer patients ever receive specialty palliative care, which makes it critical for patients to ask for a referral.

Palliative care is not weakness — it is strength. Asking for it early helps patients and families live with dignity, relief and control. Every cancer center should provide it, and every patient should know to ask. Living stronger with cancer begins with the truth: you deserve care that honors your life.

Sources:

• American Cancer Society, “Palliative Care and Hospice Care.” cancer.org
• National Cancer Institute, “Palliative Care in Cancer.” cancer.gov
• Temel JS, Greer JA, Muzikansky A, et al. “Early Palliative Care for Patients with Metastatic Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer.” New England Journal of Medicine. 2010.
• Ferrell BR, Temel JS, Temin S, et al. “Integration of Palliative Care Into Standard Oncology Care: ASCO Clinical Practice Guideline Update.” Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2017.
• National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, “NHPCO Facts and Figures.” nhpco.org
• Cassel JB, McClure E, Lund S, et al. “Specialty palliative care use among cancer patients: A population-based study.” PLOS One. 2025. · World Health Organization, “Palliative Care.” who.int