Oncology and palliative care

Oncology developed as a discipline over the last decades. Treatment is conc entrated on cure or palliation of the illness with the help of chemotherapy , radiotherapy or surgery. Palliative care has its origin in the hospice mo vement that started around 1960 in the UK. Centre of care is the patient an d his family. Focus of care has moved from quantity to quality of life. Sym ptom control, communication, rehabilitation and care for the dying are main areas of palliative care. Palliative care and palliative medicine have onl y developed over the last 10 years in Germany. It is still seen as care for the dying after completion of oncological treatment. The integration of pa lliative care in earlier stages of the disease is essential to offer a cont inuity of care for the patient and his family. Principles of palliative car e need also be part of medical and post-graduate training.