Supportive Treatments for Patients with Cancer

For the treatment of patients with cancer to be successful and well-tolerated, the complications and side effects of the disease and its treatment must be treated and limited as far as possible. Summarized recommendations based on the constantly increasing evidence in the area of supportive care must be defined, standardized, and communicated.

We systematically reviewed the literature on the topics of anemia, neutropenia, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, oral mucositis, skin toxicity, and peripheral neurotoxicity induced by cancer treatment, as well as osseous complications, extravasation, and side effects of radiotherapy. Recommendations were approved in a moderated, formalized consensus procedure.

In patients suffering from chemotherapy-induced anemia, the administration of agents that stimulate erythropoiesis can be considered. This can potentially improve these patients' quality of life and lessen the frequency of blood transfusions, but it can also lead to thromboembolic complications and arterial hypertension. If only a single individual risk factor is present in a patient whose risk of febrile neutropenia is estimated at 10-20%, there is no obligatory indication for the administration of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor. Antiemetic treatment before carboplatin is given can consist of a neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist along with a setron and dexamethasone. Duloxetine is recommended for the treatment of neuropathic pain. Sensorimotor training is effective in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy and can already be given at the same time as the chemotherapy. Women with bony metastases of breast cancer who have been taking zoledronate at four-week intervals for a year should take it at 12-week intervals from then onward in order to lessen the likelihood of osseus complications. There is no evidence for any effective prophylactic treatment of chemotherapy-induced diarrhea.

Supportive measures are an integral component of all oncological treatments. More research is needed to determine how side effects can be lessened and prevented.