Clinicians often do not agree whether a treatment is given with a palliative or curative intent. A common clear definition does not exist. This study has assessed the usefulness of dividing the goal of treatment into three distinct categories: curative treatment; palliative, symptom preventive treatment; and palliative, symptom relieving treatment. In a cross-sectional study among all cancer centres in Norway, a total of 629 patients were included into the study. Of these patients, 60% received palliative treatment, with an equal distribution between symptom preventive and symptom relieving. The definitions were found easy to use by the physicians. It gave important information of differences between cancer diagnosis with respect to the number of patients receiving palliative treatment. In order to refine the classification system, the authors will, in future studies, include a fourth category, life prolonging treatment, which is located between curative and palliative treatment with respect to treatment intensity.