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Reflections on Hope and Its Implications for End‐of‐Life Care

Physicians caring for individuals with life‐altering, incurable illnesses often have a desire to convey a sense of hope while also helping their patients prepare for the end of life to minimize unnecessary suffering and grief. Unfortunately, in the United States, most people receive more‐aggressive treatments toward the end of life than studies would suggest that they desire. This reflects the challenging task of balancing optimism and realism, and how providing a false sense of hope for a cure for too long a time while avoiding advance care planning may contribute significantly to the problem. This article explores the interplay of hope and advance care planning, and suggests a need for excellent individualized communication in the setting of advanced cancer to improve end‐of‐life care.