Stopping or Taking a Break from Therapy
For many people with cancer, there may come a time when you feel like you have had enough. If you are feeling that you have had enough, talk with your healthcare team about your options. A social worker or therapist may be able to help you work through these decisions, as they are not easy. As the patient you can decide to stop treatment or take a break at any time. You may want to take a "holiday" from treatment, a few weeks or months off therapy. This may make a difference in how you feel and help you restart therapy later.
Your healthcare team wants you to be comfortable with your treatment decisions and to enjoy the best quality of life you can. Even when your healthcare team understands, your family or friends may not. They may have seen you get through months of therapy and not understand why, now all of a sudden, you can't do it anymore. Sharing your feelings with your family and support persons is hard, but is important for them to understand your shift in goals and how to continue to support you.
How can I get help to manage symptoms if I stop treatment?
Palliative care may be an option for some who still wish to pursue active treatment but could use additional help with managing symptoms such as pain, shortness of breath, nausea, etc. Palliative care is a medical specialty (like oncology or cardiology) focused on the relief of pain, stress, and other debilitating symptoms of serious illness. Palliative care differs from hospice in that it can be used at the same time as curative treatment. Not all hospitals have palliative care specialists, though this specialty is becoming more common. Visit getpalliativecare.org to find a specialist in your area.
What about hospice care?
Should you decide that you do not want any more treatment, you may want to consider hospice care. Hospice is for people who are have a serious illness, are no longer getting curative treatment, and who are believed to have 6 months or less to live.
Hospice is not a place, but a concept of care, helping patients live each day of their lives to the fullest extent possible and providing support to both the patient and his/her family and caregivers. Hospice is really a re-prioritizing of treatment goals. Whereas active therapy aims to cure or extend life, hospice care aims to provide comfort and achieve the best possible quality of life. Hospice teams specialize in managing symptoms and supporting you and your family physically, spiritually, and emotionally. They "treat" the entire family by incorporating them into the plan of care. The earlier a person receives hospice care, the greater the benefits they receive. Accessing hospice earlier allows for the stabilization of symptoms and time to address emotional and spiritual concerns. It is also important to understand that enrolling in hospice is not a binding contract and patients can be discharged from hospice if their condition improves or they wish to restart therapy.