Oncology and palliative care

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of current oncology practice as it pertains to palliative care. It covers the care of patients undergoing oncological interventions including some of the newer biological treatments and includes the management of the common side effects associated with the management of solid tumours in adults. It includes a succinct summary of the current management of common cancers. Cancer is an important cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly in industrialized countries. Currently in the UK, one person in two will be diagnosed with some form of cancer during their lifetime and one in four will die of the disease. Cancer incidence increases exponentially with age; with increasing life expectancy, cancer will become an even more common problem in the future. Cancers may develop in all body tissues. The chapter reviews the various ways that the cells that form cancers can be differentiated from cells in normal tissues.