Palliative treatment in the clinical context of advanced cancer: concept analysis

ABSTRACT Objective: Analyze the concept of palliative treatment in the clinical context of advanced cancer. Method: Analysis of the concept proposed by Walker & Avant, organized in eight stages and operationalized by scope review. Search for articles conducted from May to October 2024 in seven data sources, with a ten-year limit. The borderline and opposite model cases were presented. Results: The main antecedent was advanced cancer. Attributes include interventions such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery, used with or without the adjective “palliative”. Consequences aim to improve the quality of life and prolong survival. Conclusions: Palliative Care is anchored in the concept of Palliative Care of Support, but is limited to treatments with non-curative intent, being more focused on the disease rather than the person. The correct use of the concept is indispensable for communication between patients, family members, and academic production, since palliative treatment presents particularities distinct from other approaches.