Integrating palliative care into active cancer treatment.

OBJECTIVES

To describe the evidence that palliative care, provided concurrently with disease-modifying treatment early in the course of a cancer diagnosis, can improve quality of life, length of survival, symptom burden, mood, and utilization of health services.

DATA SOURCES

Current research, the National Consensus Guidelines for Quality Palliative Care, and the American Society of Clinical Oncology Provisional Opinion on Integrating Palliative Care into Standard Oncology Care.

CONCLUSION

Despite recommendations and evidence, only a subset of cancer centers and community-based oncology clinics currently implement palliative care into ambulatory disease-focused cancer care.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

Oncology nurses can improve access by becoming knowledgeable about generalist palliative care and by advocating for local and national practice change.