Integration of Palliative and Supportive Care Into the Management of Genitourinary Malignancies

Abstract

Patients with genitourinary malignancies are typically cared for by a multidisciplinary team of urologists, medical oncologists, and radiation oncologists. For the past decade, integration of palliative and supportive care (PSC) into routine oncological care has been advocated by leading oncology organizations. Despite these recommendations, current evidence suggests that integration of PSC for patients with routine genitourinary malignancies is lacking. In this article, we first review the current evidence for integration of palliative care and the data suggesting an unmet need for people with genitourinary malignancies. We then provide a potential framework that examines the needs of these patients. We show an example of a potential opportunity for integration of PSC into routine multidisciplinary oncologic care that can help improve patient care by meeting these unmet patient needs. Finally, we discuss potential opportunities for integration of PSC that can provide an opportunity to understand the mechanism of benefit of PSC for improving patient-centered care.