For an oncologist, finding the appropriate words to comfort a family who is facing the loss of a loved one can be difficult. This section addresses how different groups—oncologists, patients, and caregivers—think about end-of-life care issues. This section discusses an oncologist's responsibility and perspective when it comes to difficult subjects such as advanced cancer, hospice, do not resuscitate orders, cytotoxic therapy, supportive care, maintaining a patient's dignity, and imminent death. Articles in this series also discuss the role of spirituality and religion at the time of death, and the importance of good communication between the oncologist and family members throughout the dying process.

• Caring For Dying Patients: What is Right?

• Doc, How Much Time Do I Have?

• A Revisitation of "Doc, How Much Time Do I Have?"

• Tell It Like It Is

• Truth or Consequences: What to Do When the Patient Doesn't Want to Know

• Discussing Do-Not-Resuscitate Status

• Setting Goals to Maintain Hope

• But Doctor, What Have I Got to Lose?

• Challenges in Outpatient End-of-Life Care: Wishes to Avoid Resuscitation

• Discussing Hospice

• Tell the Children

• Simultaneous Care: Disease Treatment and Palliative Care Throughout Illness

• Allowing Patients to Die: Practical, Ethical and Religious Concerns

• Addressing Spiritual Care: Calling for Help

• The Power of Silence

• Overcoming Obstacles to Hospice and Palliative Care: An Ethical Examination of Inertia and Inaction

• A Couple With Cancer: Conflicting Wishes, Joint Decisions

• Sweet Time Unafflicted

• Dignity and the Eye of the Beholder

• Teaching Communication Skills to Medical Oncology Fellows

• Spirituality and Religion in the Art of Dying

• The Day One Talk: Example of the Delivery of Bad News

• Treatment Decision Aids in Advanced Cancer: When the Goal is Not Cure and the Answer is Not Clear

• Giving Bad News to Cancer Patients: Matching Process and Content

• Death Denial

• Spirituality And The Dying Patient