The symptom controlling effects of chemotherapy. Addition to a palliative therapy concept?

Abstract

Effects on symptom control by cytotoxic chemotherapies have increasingly drawn attention over the past decade. New substances and"targeted therapies" shed new light on therapeutic intention and response criteria. Furthermore, in patients with advanced disease therapeutic measures and goals have to be reevaluated from the viewpoint of palliation. This article describes the effects of chemotherapeutic and other anti-tumor substances on symptom control in patients with metastatic tumor disease and attempts to define their role in palliative oncology and palliative medicine.