Palliative Medicine

Palliative Medicine for Breast Cancer

Palliative Care Services focus on helping improve quality of life for you and your family when you face a serious illness like breast cancer. Specialists in the Northwestern Medicine Palliative Medicine and Supportive Care Program are experienced in treating pain, discomfort and other physical symptoms that may arise during breast cancer treatment. They can also provide emotional and psychological support and stress relief for you and those who care for you. This compassionate team includes:

  • Physicians
  • Social workers
  • Advanced practice nurses
  • Therapists
  • Registered nurses
  • Chaplains
  • Child life specialists
  • Pharmacists
  • Registered Dietitians

Help is available for:

  • Physical and emotional symptoms, such as pain, nausea, anxiety, fatigue, or depression
  • Communication between family members and your care team.
  • Outside resources, ranging from medical supplies to support groups, that may benefit you on your road to recovery from breast cancer.
  • Emotional and spiritual support for caregivers.

Palliative Care at Northwestern Medicine offers different types of consultations for wherever you are in the course of your breast cancer and treatment journey, including:

  • Outpatient clinic visits, which can be coordinated on the same day as visits to your primary Northwestern Medicine physician or specialty clinic.
  • Inpatient consultation, for if you or a loved one need fulltime medical care at a designated palliative care facility.
  • Home hospice. If and when the time comes to focus on comfort care closer to the end of life, we partner with several preferred provider agencies to provide comprehensive end-of-life care. Even if you live in an area not served by one of these agencies or prefer another hospice provider, we will work with you to ensure as safe and comfortable a transition as possible.

If you think you or someone you love would benefit from the Northwestern Medicine Palliative Medicine and Supportive Care Program, talk with your physician today. You can also learn more by reading our frequently asked questions.