Evidence for integration of palliative care into surgical oncology practice and education

Abstract

High-quality data support multiple clinical benefits of integrating palliative care into routine oncology care. Though these data come largely from the medical oncology literature, data from surgical oncology populations support similar associations between palliative care integration and improved clinical outcomes, all without compromise in survival. This paper will review data supporting palliative care integration into oncology care, with a focus on surgical populations and recommendations for incorporating palliative care into surgical oncology.

Keywords: education; palliative care; surgical oncology.