At what disease stage can palliative care be provided?

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Palliative care centers on relieving symptoms, reducing distress, and supporting quality of life, and it can be brought in at any stage of an illness. It isn’t reserved for late or terminal phases; it can be started alongside disease-modifying or curative treatments to help with pain, breathlessness, fatigue, nausea, and emotional or practical concerns, while patients continue to pursue other therapies if they wish. It also doesn’t require hospice referral; hospice is a separate model typically for those with a prognosis of limited life expectancy who are focusing on comfort, whereas palliative care can be involved early and alongside ongoing treatments. In short, this care approach can and should be integrated early to maximize comfort and aligned goals, not only at the end of life.