[New developments in cancer chemotherapy (author's transl)]

Based on new drugs, new combinations, earlier onset of treatment and aggressive doses in the induction phase chemotherapeutic results in advanced cancer have been improved within the last decade. The present review presents the currently available realistic results obtained with both curative and palliative chemotherapy. In addition, the concepts of preoperative ("debulking") chemotherapy and of adjuvant chemotherapy are described for the adequate clinical indications. Finally, guidelines for chemotherapeutic measures in elderly patients are presented.