Patient with locally advanced inoperable disease or with multiple distant metastases, for whom it is not possible to administer curative treatment, are advised palliative treatment. Palliative surgeries are done for bowel or airway obstruction, visceral perforation and bleeding. Whereas palliative care includes end of life care along with pain management.
Unfortunately many patients end up with active progressive disease, in spite of utilizing all available different treatment modalities, such patients are referred to palliative care department. There are hospice centres which provide palliative care to end stage oncological and non-oncological patients.
Patient with stage IV, non-curable disease may experience excruciating and non-remitting pain; such patients are treated in pain clinic. Pain clinic provides patient with narcotic analgesics and nerve and ganglion blocks to relive pain.