A closer look at the concept of support: some application to the care of patients with cancer.

The connotations of the term "support" have contributed to a widespread, diverse, and imprecise psychological usage. Oversimplification of complex clinical issues is most likely to occur when the concept of support is applied by staff with varied training and experience to patients with a serious illness such as cancer. This report distinguishes four principal meanings of support--comfort, strengthening, maintenance, and advocacy--offering a basis for individualized care of patients in a variety of clinical contexts.