Noncurative

Noncurative describes medical care or treatment aimed at relief of symptoms, improvement of quality of life, or slowing disease progression without the intention of curing the underlying disease. It is commonly used in contexts where cure is unlikely or impossible, such as advanced cancer, end-stage organ failure, or severe neurodegenerative diseases. The focus is on comfort, function, and patient autonomy, rather than eradication of disease.

Noncurative approaches include palliative care, hospice, and supportive therapies that address pain, dyspnea, nausea, fatigue, and psychosocial needs. Therapies may be noncurative by design—for example, palliative chemotherapy or radiotherapy given to reduce tumor burden and alleviate symptoms rather than complete remission—but they may also be noncurative if the prognosis remains poor despite treatment. The decision to pursue noncurative care involves goals-of-care discussions with patients and families, consideration of prognosis, potential benefits, treatment burden, and quality of life.

There is overlap with terms such as palliative, supportive, and comfort-focused care. Some clinicians distinguish noncurative from disease-modifying or curative treatments; the latter aim to alter the disease course with the possibility of cure, while the former emphasizes symptom relief and end-of-life comfort. Ethically, noncurative care is a legitimate and essential component of comprehensive care, requiring informed consent, respect for patient preferences, and coordination across multidisciplinary teams.