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Palliative care has long been seen as an "end-of-life" add-on in oncology — but that needs to change. As cancer increasingly becomes a chronic disease, managing symptoms and quality of life is just as critical as treating the tumor itself. A new commentary argues it's time for the oncology community to fully integrate palliative and supportive care into routine cancer management.
Palliative care has historically been equated with end-of-life care in oncology — a hand-off that happens when curative treatment is deemed futile. But as cancer care has evolved dramatically over the past 50 years, that framing is increasingly outdated. Many cancers are now managed as chronic diseases, with patients living longer but enduring ongoing toxicities like fatigue, neuropathy, and pain that significantly impact quality of life (QOL).
In a new commentary, oncologist Maurie Markman, MD, makes the case that palliative and supportive care must be recognized as a true core component of cancer care — not a "nice to have" add-on. He points to a troubling disconnect: despite growing evidence of benefit, these services remain underutilized and financially undervalued, since they rely on cognitive work rather than procedures or chemotherapy administration.
Key Takeaways:
Why it matters: With cancer survival improving but cure remaining elusive for many, the burden of treatment-related symptoms is growing. Fully integrating palliative and supportive care into oncology could meaningfully improve patient QOL, reduce opioid misuse, and lower healthcare costs.
