[Providing information about metastasised cancer could be better: time for a good talk]

It has been suggested that clinical oncologists do not discontinue active treatment in the palliative setting in a timely manner, and only care about the extension rather than the quality of life. Moreover, patients may be not very well informed about their prognosis and the intention behind their treatment. To improve decision-making in the palliative phase, understanding of recent advances in cancer care should be shared, as well as any potential adverse effects. Decision aids may be useful to improve the chance of satisfactory treatment decisions. The desire to obtain information is high in the majority of patients; however, oncologists do not always provide enough key information, particularly in terms of survival. During consultations, the time available to discuss these aspects is limited; it is believed that allocating more time for outpatient consultations could improve the quality and satisfaction regarding the decision to treat or not to treat. Ideally, general practitioners and palliative teams should be involved early in the decision-making process.