[Selected ethical problems of oncologic patients during the terminal period]

Patient suffering from terminal disease is depended on his environment more than any other one. He often suffers from nervous break down, anxiety and fear and he is usually unprotected from the environment. Fast development of medical science and its technicisation can lead towards dehumanization and lack of psychological and spiritual care, which should be based on clear ethical principles. Main lines of ethical principles of Health Service which are included in Deontological Code of Physicians and Collection of ethical principles for a qualified nurse are the main rules how to proceed as to fulfill the rule: "benefit of a patient is the superior law." According to its speciality Palliative Medicine introduces also four general ethical principles: 1. Patient will is a rule of treatment. 2. The principle of proportion--benefits from the treatment should be higher than losses and suffering from iatrogenic acting. 3. The principle of equality--stop taking a cure does not differ from not undertaking treatment. 4. The principle of relativity--life is not an absolute good, death is not an absolute evil. Holistic acts of Palliative Medicine determines also specific ethical attitudes, especially in the following: 1. Communication between a therapist and a patient and his family (interpersonal attitudes). 2. Procedures how to lessen suffering and its interpretation according to culture, tradition and religion ("nonsense and significance of suffering"). 3. Negation of euthanasia. 4. Spiritual, psychological and social care of patients.