自21 世紀起，癌症病人的失志現象開始被重視。而失志症候群則是臨床的綜合體，包括持續的痛苦、無望、無助，以及失去生活的意義與目標。罹患失志症候群的癌症病人，經常有早日離世的想法，甚至有自殺的風險。目前，已有世界衛生組織「國際疾病分類標準」的系統給予編碼，也有「心身研究診斷準則」與「失志量表」等相關評估工具。癌症病人的失志可能會伴隨憂鬱，也可能不一定會憂鬱。施以意義中心治療或尊嚴治療可能對失志的癌症病人有幫助。重視失志症候群，將有助於提升癌症照顧的品質。

Since the 21st century, demoralization among cancer patients has been paid attention. Demoralizationsyndrome is a clinical complex with persistent existential distress, hopelessness, helplessness, and lose meaningand purpose of life when a person suffering to severe medical or psychiatric illness. Demoralized cancer patientsoften want to die as soon as possible, even have suicide risk. Now, there is the code in the InternationalClassification of Diseases by World Health Organization, and there are the Diagnostic Criteria for PsychosomaticResearch (DCPR) and the Demoralization Scale to evaluate demoralization syndrome. Some patients sufferedfrom demoralization with depression, but some without depression. Meaning-centered therapy and dignitytherapy may be helpful for demoralized cancer patients. To place importance on demoralization syndrome willincrease the quality of cancer care.