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The Voice of People With Breast Cancer
Information
Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer
End-of-Life Care
End-of-life care is a type of palliative care that supports you in the final stage of life. It is for people who are nearing death from an illness that cannot be cured, like metastatic breast cancer (mBC). The goal is to help you feel as comfortable and supported as possible.
End-of-Life versus Palliative Care
Palliative care can begin at any time after an mBC diagnosis. It helps improve quality of life throughout your treatment.
End-of-life care becomes the focus when treatment is no longer working. The goal shifts to comfort and peace in your final days or weeks.
What Does End-of-Life Care Do?
End-of-life care can help you:
- Manage symptoms like pain, fatigue, or shortness of breath
- Get emotional and spiritual support that aligns with your values
- Plan ahead for where you want to be, who should make decisions, and how you want to be remembered
- Support your family and caregivers
- Find meaning, comfort, or closure
Where Can You Receive End-of-Life Care?
End-of-life care can be provided in several settings, depending on your needs and what is available in your area:
- At home, with visiting nurses and support workers
- In a hospital, including specialized palliative care units
- In a hospice, where care focuses on comfort rather than cure
- In a long-term care home, if that is where you live
Many people want to stay at home if they can. Home care services can help with things like nursing, medications, personal care, and giving caregivers a break. But home care is not the same everywhere, and it may not always be available. In 2023, 2% of Canadian adults (over 600,000 people) reported unmet needs for home care, according to Statistics Canada.
Your cancer team, social worker, or palliative care provider can help you understand your options and access support in your area. Even if you do not need hospice care, local hospices may offer helpful programs and support.
Resources
- CBCN’s Patient Magazine: Talking Palliative Care
- Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association: A national directory of hospice and palliative care services. You can search by province or category.
- Canadian Virtual Hospice: Trusted information, peer stories, FAQs, and online support for patients, families, and healthcare providers.
Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD)
Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) became legal in Canada in 2016. It allows eligible Canadians to choose to end their life with the help of a doctor or nurse practitioner. To qualify, you must:
- Be at least 18 and eligible for Canadian health care
- Have a serious illness that cannot be cured
- Be in physical or emotional suffering that feels unbearable
- Make the choice freely
- Have a natural death that is reasonably foreseeable
Every province has its own MAiD process. If you are considering MAiD or want more information, speak with your doctor, social worker, or palliative care team. They can explain your options to you without judgment.
Visit End-of-Life Support | Dying With Dignity Canada for more information.
» Related reading from Our Voices Blog:
- References
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Canadian Breast Cancer Network. (n.d.). Metastatic breast cancer handbook: A guide for individuals living with stage IV breast cancer. https://cbcn.ca/web/default/files/public/Reports/E%20-%20mBC%20Handbook.pdf
Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association. (2024). The national voice for hospice palliative care in Canada. https://www.chpca.ca/
Canadian Virtual Hospice. (n.d.). Home. https://www.virtualhospice.ca/en_US/Main+Site+Navigation/Home.aspx
Dying With Dignity Canada. (2021). Get the facts: Canada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) law. https://www.dyingwithdignity.ca/end-of-life-support/get-the-facts-on-maid/#safeguards
Dying With Dignity Canada. (2021). Home. https://www.dyingwithdignity.ca/
Eldridge, L. (2023). End of life concerns with metastatic breast cancer. Verywell Health. https://www.verywellhealth.com/end-of-life-concerns-with-metastatic-breast-cancer-4154815
Sagara, Y., Mori, M., Yamamoto, S., Eguchi, K., Iwatani, T., Naito, Y., Kogawa, T., Tanaka, K., Kotani, H., Yasojima, H., Ozaki, Y., Noguchi, E., Miyasita, M., Kondo, N., Niikura, N., Toi, M., Shien, T., & Iwata, H. (2021). Current status of advance care planning and end-of-life communication for patients with advanced and metastatic breast cancer. The Oncologist, 26(4), e686–e693. https://doi.org/10.1002/onco.13640
Statistics Canada. (2025). Access to health care. In Health of Canadians (Catalogue no. 82-570-X). https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-570-x/2024001/section4-eng.htm
The Canadian Cancer Society has a database that can be used to find local support services in your area. You can access it below:
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About CBCN
CBCN strives to voice the views and concerns of breast cancer patients through education, advocacy activities, and the promotion of information sharing.
Canadian Breast Cancer Network
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Tel: 613-230-3044
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