In the recent report Dying in America: Addressing Key End of Life Issues, 1 the Institute of Medicine declared improving access to palliative care for seriously ill patients a national priority to address the crisis of low-value health care for patients near the end of life. Patients report comfort, symptom control, and dignity as central to achieving a “good death,” yet increasing numbers experience pain, unwanted health care transitions, and intensive care near the end of life. Surgeons play a critical role as providers of end-of-life care. Among Medicare decedents, almost one-third have surgery in the year before death, many in the last week of life, 2 and up to 25% of patients diagnosed as having stage IV cancer undergo a surgical procedure. Palliative care, an approach to care focused on improving quality of life for patients with lifethreatening illness and their families, is associated with improved symptom management, improved communication, and fewer care transitions for seriously ill patients. Although surgeons routinely care for seriously ill patients, the role of palliative care in surgery remains poorly defined. 3 Herein, we use malignant bowel obstruction (MBO) as an example of how surgeons can integrate principles of palliative care to support surgical care for patients with life-threatening illness. Management of MBO exemplifies the convergence of surgery and palliative care. Although survival varies based on cancer type and prognostic features, MBO is typically a late complication of advanced cancer, with life expectancy limited to weeks or months after onset. 4 Patient suffering can be immense with their remaining days fraught with high symptom burden, impaired quality of life, and hospitalization. Depending on anatomical features of the obstruction, surgical palliation via resection, bypass, or venting gastrostomy may offer select patients significant gains in quality of life. 4,5 However, substantial personal cost may accompany the pursuit of symptom relief in the form of prolonged recovery or burdensome complications, diminishing the benefits of treatment. As surgeons are increasingly called on to provide palliative interventions to seriously ill patients, their patients would benefit from strategies commonly used in palliative care to deliver goal-concordant care that is informed by patients’ values and health care priorities.