ESMO Handbook of Supportive and Palliative Care
Preface
Oncology is not just about treating cancer with the best available antineoplastic therapies, it is about making the lives of our patients better. As oncologists, we have an ethical duty to not only “deliver the best quality anticancer treatment but also to consider the impact of the disease and treatment on each patient’s life”, as clearly stated in the ESMO position paper on supportive and palliative care published in Annals of Oncology in 2018. In this context, educating oncologists on all aspects of a patient’s cancer journey, including symptom control, physical, mental, social and emotional wellbeing, as well as end-of-life care, becomes a core value and an absolute priority.
This handbook aims to serve this exact purpose. Written by experienced healthcare professionals, it covers all aspects of patient care, from formal assessment and effective management of symptoms to cancer-related psychological, spiritual and cultural issues; and from the optimal management of disease- and treatment-related side effects to rehabilitation, survivorship and care of the dying patient. Readers will learn how to effectively communicate with cancer patients, to detect and address their unique unmet needs and to provide state-of-the-art holistic care to those living with and beyond cancer. I strongly believe that enhancing skills in supportive and palliative care is fundamental, from both a scientific and ethical viewpoint, for all oncologists and has the potential to transform the lives of our patients.
Solange Peters, MD, PhD
ESMO President
