The concept of a "bucket list" may be an approachable way to engage cancer patients in discussions about end-of-life care. According to a new study published in the Journal of Palliative Medicine, a Google search for "bucket list" turned up nearly 84 million results compared to 4.5 million results for the term "advanced directives."

"Patients don’t see the relevance of an advance directive," said one of the study’s authors, VJ Periyakoil, M.D. "but they do see the relevance of a bucket list as a way to help them plan ahead for what matters most in their lives."