Integrating symptom science and precision health to enhance palliative care outcomes

The article examines how integrating symptom science with precision health approaches can improve palliative care outcomes. Traditional approaches rely mainly on subjective patient reports and often fail to capture the biological mechanisms underlying symptom variability and clustering. Research using multi-omic approaches, including genomic, metabolomic, and inflammatory biomarkers, helps identify biological foundations of symptom differences. Digital health technologies, including remote monitoring and telehealth, have demonstrated improvements in symptom burden and quality of life. The article emphasizes the need to combine technological innovations with a human-centered approach in palliative care, while highlighting challenges related to implementation, equity, and access to care.