Getting Palliative Care — While Chemotherapy Continues

No. Many oncologists now refer patients to palliative care early in treatment as a routine part of the plan, not as a signal that options are running out. The referral reflects current guidance from ASCO and ESMO. If you are uncertain what a referral means in your specific situation, ask your oncologist directly — the answer in most cases is that it is about supporting you through treatment, not signalling its end.

You can ask directly. If you are experiencing symptoms — pain, nausea, fatigue, anxiety, difficulty sleeping — that are not well controlled, raise it with your oncologist or your treating nurse and ask whether a palliative care referral is appropriate. You do not need to be at a particular stage of illness or treatment to ask. The question to raise is: 'Is there a palliative care team I can see alongside my chemotherapy?'

Palliative care teams are accustomed to working with patients from many different backgrounds, faiths and family structures. If religious rituals, dietary practices or family involvement in decisions matter to you, tell the palliative team at the first meeting — this shapes how they support you. It is also worth telling your oncologist if you are taking any herbal or traditional medicine alongside your treatment, so the complete picture is clear to everyone looking after you.

Symptom management and supportive care are part of the care delivered at CION centres during chemotherapy. If you have specific symptoms that are not well controlled, raise them at your next appointment so your team can address them directly or coordinate additional support. Chemotherapy at CION is given as day care across 35+ centres, and your team there can guide you on what palliative support is available in your situation.

The cost depends on your centre, your insurance or scheme coverage, and what the support involves — and is worth asking about directly before your first appointment. In many settings, a palliative care consultation is included in the broader treatment package rather than billed separately. Good symptom control can also reduce the need for emergency visits and unplanned admissions, which often offsets any additional cost.

You can stop at any point. Palliative care alongside chemotherapy is not a commitment you cannot leave. If at some stage you feel it is not adding what you expected, or you want to change the kind of support you receive, that conversation is always open with your team. The role of the palliative care team is to work with what you need, and those needs will change as your treatment progresses.