Palliative care aims to improve quality of life by:

• A. To cure serious illness with aggressive therapy
• B. To improve quality of life by symptom relief and psychosocial support
• C. To postpone concerns about death
• D. To provide all possible experimental treatments

Answer: (B)

Palliative care centers on relieving suffering and improving quality of life for people with serious illness. It achieves this through targeted symptom relief—pain, shortness of breath, nausea, fatigue, and other distressing symptoms—and through psychosocial, spiritual, and caregiver support. By focusing care on what matters most to the patient and helping with decisions and care coordination, palliative care reduces overall distress and enhances comfort. Importantly, it can be provided alongside disease-modifying treatments, not just at the end of life. It differs from pursuing aggressive cures, delaying honest discussions about prognosis, or chasing all experimental therapies; its goal is to minimize suffering and support meaningful, patient-centered care.