Palliative care for cancer

How does palliative care support cancer patients?

Palliative care focuses on the treatment and support of patients with incurable and life-limiting diseases. While these diseases include many different conditions, cancer makes up the largest proportion.

In cancer treatment, a distinction is often made between a curative approach (aiming to cure the disease) and a palliative approach. When a patient and their doctor decide on palliative care, the primary goal is no longer to cure the disease, but rather to alleviate possible symptoms and maintain the patient's quality of life.

Palliative care is personalized for each patient, with their individual needs as the top priority. Care can be given in a hospital, at home, or in a hospice setting.

Palliative care is particularly characterized in that patients are cared for by a multi-disciplinary team, which is available 24 hours a day. Patients receive medical, nursing and psychosocial support.

What are the goals of palliative care in cancer treatment?

Palliative care is different to other medical specialties in that its aim is not to cure the patient. It is rather concerned with supporting patients with a life-terminating disease and accepting dying as a natural part of life.

Palliative care for cancer patients comprises a holistic, interdisciplinary concept that focuses on the patient's quality of life. This explicitly includes the involvement of family members, who receive psychosocial support and can be trained and guided in performing smaller caregiving tasks.

Although palliative care can be provided both at home and in an inpatient setting, in most cases it is focused on helping patients in their own homes. This is where palliative care provides valuable help, for example through the provision of specialized outpatient palliative care (SAPV).

Since 2007, SAPV has been legally established to preserve, promote, and improve the quality of life and autonomy of patients with severe illnesses. The goal is to enable patients to live with dignity until the end of their lives—whether at home, in a hospice, or in a residential care facility.

How can the relief of tumor pain and other symptoms be achieved?

Alleviating debilitating symptoms and pain is crucial for improving the quality of life of critically ill patients. Appropriate pain therapy is the foundation for this.

For pain to be controlled in the most effective way, it is important to identify the cause of the pain. Diagnostic procedures should be used in such a way that the benefits outweigh the risks. Especially in the final stages of life, it should always be considered whether complex diagnostics are justified.

Besides pain, patients receiving palliative care often complain of nausea, vomiting or constipation. In many cases, these occur as a side effect of the high doses of painkillers. As they have a significant impact on quality of life, the symptoms should be treated accordingly.

In palliative care, not only medication is used, but also supplementary procedures such as nursing measures, massages or aromatherapy. Each case must be decided individually to determine which approaches are considered most helpful for the patient.

What holistic approaches does palliative care use? 

Palliative care places the person at the center, addressing their physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs. To meet these needs effectively, a holistic approach is essential. In addition to conventional medical treatment, patients can also benefit from physiotherapy, pastoral care, art and music therapy, or autogenic training.

This holistic approach is reflected in the multidisciplinary nature of palliative care teams. This term refers to the coordinated collaboration of various professional groups. Experts from different fields work closely together to provide patients with comprehensive, interdisciplinary care.

The multidisciplinary team typically includes doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists, chaplains, social workers, and other specialized therapists. This ensures that each patient receives individualized and holistic support to help them cope with their illness and the process of dying.

How can quality of life be maintained despite cancer?  

The concept of quality of life is particularly important in palliative care. It is important to remember that it is a very subjective assessment of the patient's current circumstances.

An essential part of palliative care is therefore to determine the patient's individual wishes and expectations for a high quality of life. The second step is to evaluate what resources are available to achieve these goals.

In the majority of cases, the quality of life of terminally ill patients is highly dependent on the state of their closest caregivers. For this reason, palliative care specifically includes the consideration of the patient's environment.

Another crucial factor is providing the best possible symptom control. In addition to the targeted use of pain medication, this includes controlling the resulting side effects.

Alongside the physical symptoms, the patient's psychological stress should also be identified and treated. Psychotherapists and counselors can provide valuable help, taking individual wishes into account.

Preserving autonomy is also an important factor for many patients and makes a significant difference to their quality of life. This includes, for example, being able to remain at home or eating independently. Palliative care can provide support in this regard through nursing measures.

Which doctors & clinics specialize in palliative care for cancer?

Palliative medical care is characterized by close collaboration between various specialties. Doctors with additional training in palliative medicine specialize in treating patients with incurable, life-limiting illnesses. Specialists in oncology, internal medicine, and psycho-oncology are also frequently involved.

We aim to help patients find the right specialist for their individual needs. All the listed doctors have been carefully reviewed and selected. They have extensive experience and special qualifications in palliative care for cancer patients. Find out for yourself the expertise of our specialists and schedule a personal consultation quickly and easily.