Dictionary of Cancer Terms
View in Spanish: Tratamiento de los síntomas
Symptom management
Care given to improve the quality of life of patients who have a serious or life-threatening disease. The goal of symptom management is to prevent or treat as early as possible the symptoms of a disease, side effects caused by treatment of a disease, and psychological, social, and spiritual problems related to a disease or its treatment. Also called comfort care, palliative care, and supportive care.
Source: National Cancer Institute Dictionary of Cancer Terms, available at www.cancer.gov/dictionary.