Measures of symptom prevalence, awareness, physical function and quality of life associated with terminal cancer were collected during the National Hospice Study. Symptoms were common in terminal patients: pain 60%, dyspnea 64%, fever 35%, nausea or vomiting 44%, constipation 52%, diarrhea 27%, weight loss 84%, and anorexia 90%, and virtually no one was asymptomatic. The prevalence of fever, dyspnea, anorexia and weight loss increased by 12 to 15% during the last six weeks of life while pain, nausea or vomiting, constipation, and diarrhea changed very little. Only 12% experienced complete mental incapacitation, however a progressive deterioration of ability to function and decline in quality of life were observed in a much larger proportion of patients. When specific types of cancers or selected anatomic sites of cancer involvement were considered, only small deviations from average symptom prevalence rates were noted, suggesting a terminal common pathway for all cancers. The findings are important because they confirm the notion that terminal cancer patients require a substantial amount of palliative care to suppress or alleviate any discomfort caused by symptoms of advanced cancer.