Can I have palliative care and cancer treatment at the same time?

Yes. You can receive palliative care while still having treatment aimed at your cancer.

Palliative care can be given with or without curative care, and it may be provided at any point during cancer care, from diagnosis to the end of life. When a person receives palliative care, they may continue to receive cancer treatment at the same time.

This is one way palliative care differs from hospice. Palliative care can begin at any point during treatment, while hospice care begins when curative treatment is no longer the goal and the sole focus is quality of life. To start palliative care, ask your oncologist or someone on your oncology team; they may refer you to a palliative care specialist based on your needs.