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Abstract
Cancer is a major cause of morbidity and mortality for older individuals. Palliative
care is essential to improve the outcome of cancer treatment in terms of quality of
life and treatment satisfaction. This review examines the influence of spirituality
on aging in general and on the management of older cancer patients. A spiritual perspective
has been associated with successful aging, and with better tolerance of physical and
emotional stress, including the ability to cope with serious diseases and with isolation.
It has also been associated with decreased risk of suicide and depression. Gerotranscendence,
the more urgent search for meaning by older than younger individuals, confirms the
importance of spirituality in this phase of life. Spirituality has also improved the
quality of life and reduced the risk of disease and death for the patient's caregiver.
Addressing patient and caregiver spirituality may render the palliative care of cancer
more effective and may also aid in detection and management of spiritual pain, which
may prevent healing at the end of life.