Journal of the Indian Medical Association
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Quality of life is as important as quantity of life, if not more. In some life-threatening diseases, the possibility of cure is sometimes poor, and symptoms of the disease reduce the quality of life too. Improvement of symptoms helps the patients to live more comfortably while allowing them to retain their autonomy and dignity despite the life-threatening disease. ⋯ There are different models and methods of delivery of palliative care and the involvement of family in the care of the patient produces the best outcome. Palliative care can be delivered both at a dedicated centre as well as at the patient's home, depending on the preferences of the patient. This paper discusses the efforts towards providing care for patients in different stages of cancer therapy.