4.1 Treatment intent
4.1 Treatment intent
The intent of treatment can be defined as one of the following:
- curative
- anti-cancer therapy to improve quality of life and/or longevity without expectation of cure
- symptom palliation.
The morbidity and risks of treatment need to be balanced against the potential benefits.
The lead clinician should discuss treatment intent and prognosis with the patient and their family/ carer before beginning treatment.
Fertility preservation options should be discussed with the patient and/or family, where appropriate, before beginning treatment.
Advance care planning should be initiated with patients and their carers because there can be multiple benefits such as ensuring a person’s preferences are known and respected after the loss of decision-making capacity (AHMAC 2011).
