Currently: Research Fellow in Pediatrics Palliative Care, Massachusettes General Hospital
palliative care (PA-lee-uh-tiv kayr)
Care given to improve the quality of life of patients who have a serious or life-threatening disease. The goal of palliative care 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, supportive care, and symptom management.
Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms (http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)