PAIN RELIEF THAT HAS A STUNNING BONUS

When someone has a terminal illness, a doctor's emphasis may eventually shift from attempts at a cure to relieving pain managing symptoms. It's not surprising that a approach, called palliative care, improves quality of life. What was surprising in a recent study: Adding palliative care to standard treatment lengthened life for patients with terminal lung cancer. "They lived 12 months instead of nine - 25 percent longer." says Dr Komaroff. "For someone who's not suffering, those three months can be very precious."

PAIN RELIEF THAT HAS A STUNNING BONUS

The study should change people's idea of what palliative care is about, said one expert in a New York Times article. "It's not about killing Granny," said Diane E. Meier, MD, director of the center to Advance Palliative Care in New York. "It's about keeping Granny alive as long as possible - with the best quality of the life."