[Supportive therapy in oncology]

The current trend towards a more intensive cancer treatment is possible thanks to the availability of a really important and effective supportive care. It is our opinion that it would be essential for the junior staff in oncology, for the practitioners, but also for the knowledge of anyone contributing in different ways to give the cancer treatment, to have reference points to give also the best supportive care. With this aim we thought to start a study, in Italy, to investigate, first, which is the supportive care used in the most common acute toxicities during or immediately after cancer therapy. We decided to begin with a survey addressed to hematologists, medical oncologists, radiotherapists; 105 centers were contacted. In order to have a high number of people able to answer to different clinical questions we decided to use Internet to communicate with participating centers without moving people. The final goal of the project is to formulate guidelines in supportive care, but also to promote the use of Internet as much as possible in the medical world with the aim to make easier every kind of communication and exchange of information.