Palliative care and the cancer patient: current state and state of the art

Comprehensive cancer care requires the integration of palliative care practices and principles across the trajectory of the cancer experience. It complements the treatment of curable disease and may be the sole focus of care for those patients with advanced incurable disease. As the incidence of cancer increases worldwide and the burden of cancer rises, especially in low and middle resource countries, the need for palliative care is greater than ever before. There are numerous barriers to the provision of integrated care, including the ongoing misconception that palliative care is end-of-life care, the "cure-care dichotomy," inadequate training of health professionals and lack of resources. This article reviews the essential elements of comprehensive cancer care and the challenges to providing integrated cancer and palliative care to patients world-wide.