On the eve of the International Hospice Day, "Stomatology" and "General Medicine"  students have been invited by oncology department staff  to a round table dedicated to the basics of palliative help and hospices in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The discussion was opened by the head of the Department of Oncology, Doctor of Medical Science, Professor VB Sirota. Valentina Bronislavovna presented for the participants the essence and significance of palliative care, the stages of its development in Kazakhstan, the need to include it in the plan for conducting any cancer patient.

At the end of life, all cancer patients in the progression of cancer need palliative care.Flash mob organized by our colleagues - students of  KazNMU named after was demonstrated Asfendiyarov to the students in the main part of the round table. The video presents a meeting of an oncological patient with a disease and the unification of members of a multidisciplinary team around him: a doctor, a nurse, a social worker, a religious mentor, a psychologist. At the end of the round table, the participants were anonymously surveyed on key issues. Thus, 79% of the students believe that the incurable oncological patient is still different from another severe patient. In simulating the clinical situation, 88% of students would like to know the truth about the diagnosis and believe that further treatment is necessary. In the opinion of 44% of participants it is necessary to send an incurable oncological patient to treatment in oncology center and hospice.

Despite the fact that the round table participants belong to the medical community, not all of them are aware of the importance of palliative care. Only 74% of respondents could report a diagnosis of a malignant neoplasm to the patient. 82% of respondents recognized the possibility of stopping the pain syndrome, but 68% believe that the replacement of opioids with other strong pain medication is impossible. An unexpected result was a survey of participants in the round table on euthanasia for cancer patients: 56% of the students believe that the legalization of euthanasia can solve the suffering of incurable oncological patients. This fact confirms a small amount of information in the student's environment about the goals, methods and effectiveness of palliative medicine.After all, improving the diagnosis and treatment of cancer will lead to an increased life expectancy of cancer patients, when improving the quality of life will be the main task of the doctor.