When the Focus is on Care: Palliative Care and Cancer - Softcover

The goal of palliative care - care other than medical care that addresses the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs of the seriously ill patient, as well as the needs of their caregivers and loved ones - is to help people with cancer and their families experience the best quality of life possible throughout the course of the disease. ""When the Focus is on Care"" explains how people with cancer, especially those in later stages of the disease, can benefit from palliative care. Written in a sensitive and conversational fashion, this book addresses the questions people with cancer have about progressive illness, making informed decisions and getting good medical care, accessing supportive care resources, and managing symptoms and side effects. It discusses coping strategies, performing a life review and leaving a legacy, talking to loved ones about cancer and dying, and coming to terms with mortality. The book provides the information, support, and tools people need to cope and live well with cancer, even when the disease is not responsive to treatment.

Lead editor Kathleen M. Foley, MD, is an attending neurologist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and professor of neurology, neuroscience, and clinical pharmacology at Weill Medical College of Cornell University. She is the previous chief of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center's Pain and Palliative Care Service and one of the editors of the Institute of Medicine Report Improving Palliative Care for Cancer.