That’s a good question. I’m interested- why do you ask?
It means looking at you as a whole person and taking into account all your needs. It puts the person at the centre rather than the healthcare professionals. So for example, my doctor might be concerned with controlling my tumours and might see another clinical trial as the way to go. I, on the other hand, might be interested primarily in enjoying a summer with my daughters so wish to delay further treatment until the autumn. Or another example might be someone with needle phobia refusing treatment - by looking at this person’s needs as a whole the needle phobia can be addressed. A holistic approach takes into account the way cancer can affect a wide variety of aspects such as finances, emotional and mental wellbeing, wider family needs and so on.
Macmillan has developed a holistic needs assessment that puts this down on paper and has recommended all patients go through this at least once. You can read more here
