Psycho-oncology and palliative care: Opportunity for integration

Abstract

Palliative and Supportive Care is an international journal that was begun specifically with the intent of promoting the development and integration of psychiatric, psychosocial, and existential aspects of clinical care into the modern practice of palliative medicine. We hoped to achieve this goal by providing a resource to clinicians and an outlet for clinical researchers interested in the unique interface of palliative care and psychosocial/existential issues in those with life-threatening medical conditions. It is therefore very encouraging to see a growing interest in this particular interface of palliative medicine and psychosocial/existential care. I reported to our readers, in the last issue of Palliative and Supportive Care (PS&C), of the great interest in psychosocial and existential issues in the palliative care community as represented by the June 2004 Research Congress of the European Palliative Care Association held in Stresa, Italy. I have just returned from the 7th World Congress of Psycho-Oncology, sponsored by the International Psycho-Oncology Society (IPOS), held on August 24–27, 2004, in Copenhagen, Denmark. Again, what I bring back to the readers of PS&C is a message of encouragement and a sense that the time has come for our interests and work to take on a more central role in the fields of both palliative care and psycho-oncology (the psychosocial aspects of care of cancer patients). The World Congress of Psycho-oncology featured psychiatric, psychosocial, and existential aspects of palliative care in cancer patients as a prominent part of the program.