For most cancer patients in the Middle East, “palliative” is a vague term, a medical approach they have hardly heard of let alone understand. The focus of palliative care is to prevent patients from suffering with the aim to provide relief. It’s about providing the best possible quality of life by minimizing the burden of a chronic, life-threatening disease . It is, therefore, important to correct the misunderstanding of the role of palliative care in treating cancer patients. To date, regrettably, many still view palliative care as “giving up”. Yet, by complying with the patient’s desire for self-dignity, we fulfill his/her basic human and constitutional right 

Unfortunately, we still face barriers to the effective integration of palliative care in cancer care, including gaps in education and research and a cultural stigma that equates palliative care with end-of-life care. It is our obligation, therefore, to address these obstacles in order to achieve the seamless integration of palliative care across the continuum of cancer care for all patients and their families . Let’s remember that for most cancer patients, one of the most noticeable benefits of palliative care (which is also called supportive care) is the relief of physical pain, since if patients feel better physically, they are able to continue with their cancer treatment