Palliation is treatment directed at relief of the symptoms produced by a disease, when the disease cannot be cured.
Common symptoms of lung cancer that can be effectively palliated in many cases are pain, hemoptysis (coughing of blood) and shortness of breath.
An excellent new web site at The ACP Home Care Guide for Advanced Cancer, from the American College of Physicians provides an entire textbook of Home Care for Advanced Cancer Patients directed specifically for the caregiver.