Early Palliative Care and Quality of Life for Patients

African American female nurse filling out recovery report of sick man bedridden in geriatric hospital

By Kevin FamuyiroSenior Content Strategist

March 13, 2025 5:39 PM PT

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Serious illnesses like cancer can create a whirlwind of chaos, from physical pain to emotional distress. While chemotherapy and radiation target the disease itself, they can sometimes leave patients and families feeling overwhelmed. That’s where palliative care comes in. Contrary to popular myth, palliative care isn’t about “giving up” and it isn’t just for end of life. It’s about improving a patient’s comfort and quality of life throughout the entire treatment journey, even from the time of diagnosis, and it can be done alongside curative treatment.

Table of Contents

What is Palliative Care for Serious Illness?
Why Early Integration Matters
Palliative Care Team Real-Life Impact on Patients and Families
Common Hurdles to Early Integration
Ways to Overcome Barriers
The Path Forward for Quality of Life
Closing Thoughts
References

What is Palliative Care for Serious Illness?

Palliative care is a specialized medical approach to treatment that prioritizes symptom relief and emotional well-being for those with serious health conditions ^[1]^[4]. Clinical practice guidelines are crucial in palliative care by addressing the spiritual needs of patients with chronic and serious illnesses ^[1]. This interdisciplinary field includes:

Symptom Management: Professionals trained in palliative medicine help control pain, nausea, fatigue and other side effects so patients can have strength and participate in daily activities ^[2].
Emotional and Psychological Support: Mental health counselors and social workers help with anxiety, depression and fear that often come with a cancer diagnosis ^[5].
Family Involvement: Loved ones also experience stress and uncertainty. Palliative care teams help them cope and plan, recognizing a serious illness affects everyone in a patient’s circle ^[8].
Communication and Planning: Many don’t know all their treatment options or how to talk about tough topics. Palliative care teams help patients talk about their goals and future decisions so they can make better informed choices ^[1]^[3].

By managing physical symptoms alongside emotional concerns, palliative care improves overall well-being without conflicting with curative treatments. Patients can continue with chemotherapy, radiation or surgery while also getting palliative care.

Why Early Integration Matters

Historically palliative care was brought in at advanced or end of life but research is showing we should be introducing it much earlier ^[1]^[4]^[7]. Palliative care improves quality of life by focusing on symptom management and stress relief for patients with serious illnesses. Here’s why timing is key:*

Better Quality of Life: Proactive symptom management can reduce pain and side effects like nausea. Patients can stay in their daily routines for as long as possible ^[5].

Less Stress and Anxiety: Having a support team from the start can calm fears, promote coping skills and fewer episodes of emotional distress ^[4]^[12].
Longer Survival in Some Cases: Research shows some patients who get early palliative care actually live longer, maybe because there are fewer emergencies and better symptom control ^[1]^[7].
Fewer Hospital Visits: Through care plans and open communication palliative teams can reduce unplanned admissions or emergency room trips which can exhaust patients and families financially and emotionally ^[4].
Advance Care Planning: By talking about treatment goals and wishes early decisions about future care are more thoughtful and less rushed ^[3].

Palliative Care Team Real-Life Impact on Patients and Families

When someone is diagnosed with cancer the emotional burden often spreads across their support network – parents, siblings, children, friends and others. Early palliative care recognizes this broader impact, offers resources for everyone involved and improves quality of life for both the patient and their family. For example:

Empowerment: Patients and families feel more in control when they know what to expect, have pain management options and know who to call if things get tough.
Holistic Approach: Instead of just physical symptoms palliative care addresses emotional, spiritual and psychosocial concerns ^[11]. Patients often describe this as feeling “heard” and “understood”.
Easing Communication: Palliative care teams are trained to facilitate open and honest conversations about prognosis, fears and hopes. This helps families speak up about what matters most – whether it’s staying active, focusing on comfort or balancing treatment with personal goals ^[6].

Palliative care providers manage symptoms, offer emotional support and coordinate care across different healthcare settings.Meet Alicia, a 16 year old just diagnosed with a rare bone cancer. Early palliative care gives her better nausea control during chemo, counseling to cope with stress and uncertainty about school and future plans and support for her family members as they navigate the emotional ups and downs. Through regular check-ins her palliative care team monitor side effects, emotional health and her family’s well-being so Alicia can focus on what she enjoys while still getting the medical care she needs.

Common Hurdles to Early Integration

If early palliative care is so great why isn’t it offered right away? Here are some obstacles:

Misconceptions: Many people think palliative care only applies when active cancer treatment stops. This misunderstanding can delay important services. Hospice care which is a subset of palliative care focuses on providing comfort and psychological support for patients near the end of life often accessed through guidelines like the Medicare Hospice Benefit ^[15].
Resource Constraints: Some hospitals or clinics don’t have enough specialized staff – doctors, nurses and social workers – to provide full palliative services ^[8].
Referral Gaps: Without clear protocols busy oncology teams may not make timely referrals or they may not bring it up for fear of worrying patients ^[14].
Different Priorities: Oncologists focus on defeating cancer. Palliative care experts focus on comfort and quality of life. Aligning these views takes effort ^[9].

Ways to Overcome Barriers

Despite these challenges there are promising solutions to increase early palliative care:

Co-Located Services: Having palliative specialists in the same clinic or department as oncologists encourages timely referrals. This removes the extra step of sending patients elsewhere ^[13]. The importance of palliative care services in overcoming obstacles cannot be overstated as they address disparities in access and provide personalized care plans ^[10].
Home-Based Services: Traveling to and from the hospital can be exhausting. Offering palliative visits at home lets families get medical support in a familiar setting especially for those with limited mobility or in rural areas ^[8].
Telehealth and Automated Referrals: Video visits reduce travel and automatic triggers – such as advanced stage diagnoses – ensure teams offer palliative consultations sooner ^[3].
Education for Providers and Patients: More info about what palliative care is (and isn’t) helps clear up misconceptions. Healthcare professionals are better equipped to talk about palliative benefits when they see results.
Programs Like INTEGRATE: Specialized programs provide a structured way to bring palliative care into cancer treatment early. They offer guidelines, training materials and ongoing evaluation to refine practices ^[3].

The Path Forward for Quality of Life

Making palliative care an early part of oncology treatment requires changing public perception and medical culture. Clinicians, policymakers and patient advocacy groups all have a role to play:

Public Awareness: Campaigns can show that palliative care means comfort, support and quality of life – not a last resort ^[1]^[4]^[7]. Emphasizing quality palliative care addresses not only physical pain but also psychosocial and spiritual needs of patients.
Healthcare Policy and Funding: More resources for staffing, training and research are necessary. Insurance reimbursement for palliative services can remove cost barriers.
Continuous Research and Adaptation: Studies continue to show the benefits of early palliative care – better symptom control, reduced hospitalizations and in some cases longer survival ^[1]^[7]. Adapting these findings into practice ensures best outcomes.

Closing Thoughts

Cancer can be scary, and the treatments (like chemotherapy or radiation) that fight it can leave people feeling tired, worried, or in pain. Palliative care is a special kind of help that starts right away, so patients have someone to manage their aches, handle tough emotions, and talk about important choices throughout their treatment. By offering support early, palliative care works alongside regular cancer treatments, making life more comfortable for both patients and families. It helps everyone feel less stressed and more confident about what’s ahead. In the end, getting palliative care from the start makes a huge difference in keeping people feeling cared for and understood.

References

^{[1] Zhi, W. I., & Smith, T. J. (2015). Early integration of palliative care into oncology: evidence, challenges and barriers.}^{Annals of palliative medicine}^,⁴^{(3), 122–131.}^{https://doi.org/10.3978/j.issn.2224-5820.2015.07.03}

^{[2] Han, H. J., Pilgrim, C. R., & Buss, M. K. (2023). Integrating palliative care into the evolving landscape of oncology.}^{Current problems in cancer}^,⁴⁷^{(5), 101013.}^{https://doi.org/10.1016/j.currproblcancer.2023.101013}

^{[3] Evans, J. M., Mackinnon, M., Pereira, J., Earle, C. C., Gagnon, B., Arthurs, E., Gradin, S., Buchman, S., & Wright, F. C. (2019). Integrating early palliative care into routine practice for patients with cancer: A mixed methods evaluation of the INTEGRATE Project.}^{Psycho-oncology}^,²⁸^{(6), 1261–1268.}^{https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.5076}

^{[4] Mazanec, P., & Prince-Paul, M. (2014). Integrating palliative care into active cancer treatment.}^{Seminars in oncology nursing}^,³⁰^{(4), 203–211.}^{https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soncn.2014.08.002}

^{[5] Sochor M. (2018). Časná integrace paliativní péče v onkologii [Early integration of palliative care in oncology].}^{Casopis lekaru ceskych}^,¹⁵⁷^{(1), 13–18.}^{https://www.prolekare.cz/casopisy/casopis-lekaru-ceskych/2018-1-28/casna-integrace-paliativni-pece-v-onkologii-63250}

^{[6] Vanbutsele, G., Pardon, K., Van Belle, S., Surmont, V., De Laat, M., Colman, R., Eecloo, K., Cocquyt, V., Geboes, K., & Deliens, L. (2018). Effect of early and systematic integration of palliative care in patients with advanced cancer: a randomised controlled trial.}^{The Lancet. Oncology}^,¹⁹^{(3), 394–404.}^{https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(18)30060-3}

^{[7] Kaasa, S., Loge, J. H., Aapro, M., Albreht, T., Anderson, R., Bruera, E., Brunelli, C., Caraceni, A., Cervantes, A., Currow, D. C., Deliens, L., Fallon, M., Gómez-Batiste, X., Grotmol, K. S., Hannon, B., Haugen, D. F., Higginson, I. J., Hjermstad, M. J., Hui, D., Jordan, K., … Lundeby, T. (2018). Integration of oncology and palliative care: a Lancet Oncology Commission.}^{The Lancet. Oncology}^,¹⁹^{(11), e588–e653.}^{https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(18)30415-7}

^{[8] Dhollander, N., Smets, T., De Vleminck, A., Lapeire, L., Pardon, K., & Deliens, L. (2020). Is early integration of palliative home care in oncology treatment feasible and acceptable for advanced cancer patients and their health care providers? A phase 2 mixed-methods study.}^{BMC palliative care}^,¹⁹^{(1), 174.}^{https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-020-00673-3}

^{[9] Lundeby, T., Hjermstad, M. J., Aass, N., & Kaasa, S. (2022). Integration of palliative care in oncology-the intersection of cultures and perspectives of oncology and palliative care.}^{Ecancermedicalscience}^,¹⁶^{, 1376.}^{https://doi.org/10.3332/ecancer.2022.1376}

^{[10] Ansatbayeva, T., Kaidarova, D., Kunirova, G., Khussainova, I., Rakhmetova, V., Smailova, D., Semenova, Y., Glushkova, N., & Izmailovich, M. (2022). Early integration of palliative care into oncological care: a focus on patient-important outcomes.}^{International journal of palliative nursing}^,²⁸^{(8), 366–375.}^{https://doi.org/10.12968/ijpn.2022.28.8.366}

^{[11] Hannon, B., Swami, N., Pope, A., Leighl, N., Rodin, G., Krzyzanowska, M., & Zimmermann, C. (2016). Early Palliative Care and Its Role in Oncology: A Qualitative Study.}^{The oncologist}^,²¹^{(11), 1387–1395.}^{https://doi.org/10.1634/theoncologist.2016-0176}

^{[12] Bauman, J. R., & Temel, J. S. (2014). The integration of early palliative care with oncology care: the time has come for a new tradition.}^{Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network : JNCCN}^,¹²^{(12), 1763–1771.}^{https://doi.org/10.6004/jnccn.2014.0177}

^{[13] Mathews, J., Hannon, B., & Zimmermann, C. (2021). Models of Integration of Specialized Palliative Care with Oncology.}^{Current treatment options in oncology}^,²²^{(5), 44.}^{https://doi.org/10.1007/s11864-021-00836-1}

^{[14] Sochor, M., Sláma, O., & Loučka, M. (2015). Časná integrace paliativní péče do standardní onkologické péče - benefit, limitace, bariéry a druhy paliativní péče [Early Integration of Palliative Care into Standard Oncology Care - Benefits, Limitations, Barriers and Types of Palliative Care].}^{Klinicka onkologie : casopis Ceske a Slovenske onkologicke spolecnosti}^,²⁸^{(3), 171–176.}^{https://doi.org/10.14735/amko2015171}

^{[15] Hasegawa, T., Yamagishi, A., Sugishita, A., Akechi, T., Kubota, Y., & Shimoyama, S. (2022). Integrating home palliative care in oncology: a qualitative study to identify barriers and facilitators.}^{Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer}^,³⁰^{(6), 5211–5219.}^{https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-022-06950-6}