What is the difference between curative and palliative?

Curative treatment aims to get rid of the cancer completely. Palliative treatment aims to control it and to keep you feeling as well as possible for as long as possible.

Palliative does not mean giving up, and it does not mean the end is near. People have palliative treatment for years. It can also run alongside treatment aimed at cure, and starting it early is known to help.

Written by two physicians. Checked against patient information from the US National Cancer Institute and Cancer Research UK.