[Patient safety in palliative surgery]

Palliative surgery aims to improve the quality of life for patients with incurable diseases. This patient group is vulnerable due to the underlying illness, prior treatment and comorbidities, which increase the risk of complications that can negatively impact the course of the disease and quality of life. Palliative surgical interventions often provide effective long-term symptom control but are more invasive than conservative, interventional endoscopic or interventional radiological alternatives. This article exemplary discusses frequent palliative visceral surgical procedures and less invasive alternatives. In practice, a close interdisciplinary collaboration, open and realistic communication, optimized perioperative care and in particular the minimization of cumulative invasiveness are crucial to maximize the quality of life and safety for oncological patients.