Current opinion in oncology
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Because of cancer is generally perceived as a life-threatening illness, patients often develop spiritual needs upon the diagnosis. Spirituality impacts patient quality of life (QoL) and provides a context in which to derive hope and meaning to cope with illness. The goal of this review is to give an overview of the most relevant studies with a focus on the relationship between spiritual well being, QoL and hope in patients with cancer, in addition to exploring the importance of spiritual issues both for patients and healthcare professionals. ⋯ Care for cancer patients goes beyond just caring for the person's body. The assessment of spiritual/religious needs can be considered the first step in designing needs-tailored interventions.