Cancer and palliative care
If your cancer has spread and it is not possible to cure it, then your doctor will discuss various treatments for specific problems caused by the cancer.
Palliative treatment is treatment that relieves or soothes pain and other symptoms of illness. Palliative care is available for all people who experience pain and distress associated with cancer, whatever their stage of cancer treatment. It is a particularly important type of treatment for people with advanced cancer, who cannot be cured but can expect to live without undue pain and distress.
Palliative care includes pain relief using painkilling drugs and other measures. Pain is usually well controlled with oral medication. If pain is particularly severe or difficult to control, then you may have injections of pain-relieving medication.
General practitioners, specialists and specialist palliative care teams in hospital all play important roles in palliative treatment for people with early and advanced cancer. For further information, contact the Cancer Information and Support Service on 13 11 20.
Last Reviewed: 20 April 2001
