Is oncology a spiritual practice? It is important, if not essential, to recognize how patients contextualize their illness. Medical education does not prepare us for the tangential effects of illness, and we therefore miss opportunities to treat the spiritual domains of human suffering. Through experiences from mentors, both within medical oncology and palliative care, I learned what true patient centered medicine entails-lcaring for patients-lbody and soul.
Keywords: Spirituality; palliative care; person-centered care; supportive oncology.
Published by Elsevier Inc.