Active palliative anti-cancer therapy.

Palliative care has a high profile in the delivery of cancer care services and is of growing interest to all health care practitioners. This reflects a marked change in attitudes to the management of cancer: not too long ago, nurses were forbidden to discuss treatment with patients, who were often ignorant of their diagnosis. Now, the focus has shifted to optimising quality of life in a comprehensive package of total care involving the patient and the family.