[Recent advances of supportive therapy for cancer patients]

Over 25 years ago survival was the sole aim in the management of cancer patients. However, over the past 25 years quality of life (QOL) as well as survival has become increasingly important in the treatment of cancer. In other words, treatment modalities without good QOL are no longer accepted. Thus, supportive therapies for cancer patients are very important. These supportive therapies fall into two categories. One is the management of adverse events induced by cancer therapies such as surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Adverse events induced by the administration of anti-cancer drugs in particular must be managed to maintain QOL. The second category is the management of pain, cachexia, metabolic disorders or mental depression induced by the existence of cancer. Over these 25 years major advances have been observed in the supportive therapy for cancer patients. These include the development of colony-stimulating factor (CSF) agents and the anti emetic agents such as serotonin-receptor inhibitors. These two agents have contributed to the relief of drug-induced adverse events. Opioids have been frequently used to relieve cancer pain. Hypercalcemia accompanying cancer are very easily treated with bisphosphonate agents. In the present paper, the advances in supportive therapy for cancer patients that have been made during these 25 years will be reviewed.