When people hear “palliative care,” they often think it means stopping treatment or focusing only on end-of-life care. But that’s not the case. Palliative care is about helping people feel better—physically, emotionally, and mentally—while they’re receiving treatment for a serious illness.
Many people don’t realize that research has shown that early palliative care can actually help patients live longer.
What Is the Purpose of Palliative Care?
One of the biggest misconceptions about palliative care is that it’s just about comfort. But it’s more than that. Palliative care helps with symptoms, provides emotional support, and answers important questions for patients and families.
- Symptom relief: Cancer and its treatments can cause pain, nausea, fatigue, shortness of breath, and anxiety. Palliative care specialists focus on managing these symptoms so people can feel as well as possible while continuing treatment.
- Decision-making support: Many patients and families feel overwhelmed by complex medical decisions. Palliative care teams help explain treatment options, discuss what to expect, and ensure that care aligns with what matters most to the patient.
- Emotional and practical support: Serious illness impacts not only the body but also the mind and spirit. Palliative care assists patients and families in coping with uncertainty, stress, and fear.
Could Palliative Care Help You Live Longer?
Many cancer patients undergo several rounds of chemotherapy in hopes of gaining a bit more time. It’s entirely understandable to seek more time, but studies have shown that *early palliative care can also offer that additional time.
A landmark study in lung cancer patients found that those who received early palliative care alongside standard cancer treatment lived about two months longer than those who received only standard treatment. Two months might not seem like a lot—until you consider that many people go through difficult chemotherapy regimens in pursuit of that same two months.
The difference? Palliative care enhances quality of life while possibly extending it. It ensures that patients feel as well as possible for as long as they can and aids them in tolerating the recommended treatments.
Why Don’t More People Get Palliative Care?
Despite these benefits, palliative care is often introduced too late—sometimes not at all. Why?
- Misconceptions: Many doctors and patients associate palliative care with stopping treatment when, in reality, it can be provided alongside curative therapies.
- Lack of awareness: Some people don’t know that palliative care exists or that they can ask for it.
- Systemic barriers: In some hospitals, palliative care teams are small or overburdened, limiting access.
Asking for Palliative Care Is Advocating for Yourself
If you or a loved one is facing cancer or another serious illness, consider asking your doctor about palliative care early in the process. It’s not about choosing between treatment and comfort—it’s about making sure you have the best quality of life possible while getting the treatment that gives you the best chance at more time.
Palliative care isn’t about giving up. It’s about living well—for as long as possible.
Most Patients Can Make an Appointment Without a Referral
If you or a loved one could benefit from palliative care, you don’t necessarily need a doctor’s referral to get started. Most patients can make an appointment directly, depending on insurance coverage.
To schedule a visit with Dr. Zavodny, please have your medical records faxed to 833-771-2625, and we will schedule an appointment.
- Early palliative care occurs within the first 8 weeks after a diagnosis of advanced-stage cancer.