Palliative radiotherapy referrals in the last days of cancer patients' life: Could we do better?

Relatively large number of patients with advanced malignancies are referred for futile palliative radiotherapy during the last 30 days of their life, thus impairing their quality of life and creating an unnecessary burden on public health services. These patients are often being referred by their treating oncologists who are familiar with their oncological history. These findings call for the implementation of collaborative multi-disciplinary teams, primarily directed at optimizing care at the end of life, setting achievable treatment goals, and improving quality of life.