ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION Palliative care has been defined as “the active, total care of patients whose disease is not responsive to curative treatment”. Control of pain, of other symptoms and of psychological, social and spiritual problems is paramount. The goal of palliative care is achievement of the best quality of life for patients and their families. Many aspects of palliative care are also applicable earlier in the course of the illness in conjunction with anti-cancer treatments (WHO, 1990). The primary aim of palliative care is not to prolong life, but to make the life that remains as comfortable and meaningful as possible. It encompasses attention to detail in several domains:
• physical • psychological • social • cultural • spiritual
As such, palliative care is practiced, to a varying extent at any given time, by all health care professionals in a wide range of health care settings. The principles of palliative care are an integral part of good clinical practice.
