[Quality of life counts more than the quantity of life.]

In the opening lecture of the congress of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the famous US surgeon Atul Gawande addressed the issue of the role of the doctor, focusing on the care of patients with terminal illnesses. Prolonging life should not represent the goal of the doctor's decision-making, who must instead pay attention to preserving the patient's quality of life as much as possible. The relationship between doctor and patient must be based on some fundamental questions that the clinician must address to the patient in order to know his goals. The lecture was one of the key moments of the ASCO congress, very attentive to issues concerning the sustainability of care and the experiences of patients. It is surprising, however, that such a patient-centered conference was not disseminated and commented on by patient advocates on social media as it deserved.