Editing Terminal illness (section)

== Definition ==
Accurately identifying the start of terminal status is important because it usually occasions a review of treatment goals.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last1=Hui |first1=David |last2=Nooruddin |first2=Zohra |last3=Didwaniya |first3=Neha |last4=Dev |first4=Rony |last5=De La Cruz |first5=Maxine |last6=Kim |first6=Sun Hyun |last7=Kwon |first7=Jung Hye |last8=Hutchins |first8=Ronald |last9=Liem |first9=Christiana |date=2014-01-01 |title=Concepts and Definitions for "Actively Dying," "End of Life," "Terminally Ill," "Terminal Care," and "Transition of Care": A Systematic Review |journal=Journal of Pain and Symptom Management |volume=47 |issue=1 |pages=77–89 |doi=10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2013.02.021 |pmc=3870193 |pmid=23796586}}</ref> Although there is no single official definition, there are four typical characteristics for determining whether a person has a terminal illness:

* The person is expected to die from this illness (i.e., not from old age).<ref name=":0" />
* The illness cannot be cured (or it is medically unlikely)<ref name=":0" /> and is [[Progressive disease|expected to get worse]].<ref name=":1" />
* The illness has reached an advanced stage.<ref name=":0" />
* The statistically likely remaining lifespan is measured in weeks or months, rather than years or decades.<ref name=":0" />  For example, four different [[U.S. federal laws|US federal laws]] define the maximum expected lifespan in four different ways:  no more than six months, nine months, 12 months, or 24 months.<ref name=":1" />
When the remaining lifespan is expected to be days and the physical process of dying has begun, the term ''active dying'' may be used instead.<ref name=":1" />