Palliative treatment helps to improve people’s quality of life by managing the symptoms of lymphoma without trying to cure the disease. Many people think that palliative treatment is for people at the end of their life; however, it can help people at any stage.
As well as slowing the spread of Hodgkin lymphoma, palliative treatment can relieve any pain and help manage other symptoms. Treatment may include radiation therapy, chemotherapy or other medicines. If you are experiencing ongoing symptoms, ask for a referral to the symptom management or palliative care team.
Palliative treatment is one aspect of palliative care, in which a team of health professionals aims to meet your physical, emotional, cultural, spiritual and social needs. The team also supports families and carers.
For more on this, see Palliative care and Living with advanced cancer.
More resources
Dr Abir Bhattacharyya, Bone Marrow Transplant and General Haematologist, Westmead Hospital; Katrina Debosz, Blood Cancer Nurse Practitioner, Institute of Haematology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital; Taylah Dvorak, Consumer; Erinna Ford, Consumer; Dr Nada Hamad, Senior Staff Specialist, Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapies, and Clinical and Laboratory Haematologist, The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney; Prof Angela Hong, Radiation Oncologist, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, and Clinical Professor, The University of Sydney; Suzanne Hough, Senior Clinical Dietitian, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Westmead Hospital; Yvonne King, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council NSW; Samantha Rennie, Social Worker – Haematology, St George Hospital, Sydney.
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