Palliative care is specialised care for people with serious illness, not just cancer. Its goal is to relieve symptoms, ease suffering, and improve quality of life for both patients and their loved ones.

Sometimes called comfort care, supportive care, or symptom management, palliative care can be given in hospitals, clinics, care facilities, or at home. It can start at any stage of illness, even while receiving cancer treatment, and is not only for end-of-life care.

Palliative care can help manage symptoms such as pain, nausea, or fatigue, and in advanced cancer, it may help people live longer and more comfortably, even when a cure is not possible.