Long-term sequelae of cancer survivors

Multimodal treatment modalities enable an increasing number of patients with malignant diseases to become candidates for a curatively intended treatment strategy. Furthermore, for numerous patients with incurable cancer disease, new therapeutic developments (including molecular "targeted" agents) allow control of further progression of tumor growth for months up to years - and therefore, even those patients may be regarded as having a "chronic" disease. Taken together, both patient groups increase the number of "long-term cancer survivors" markedly. However, complex interdisciplinary therapeutic strategies and the increasing number of options for sequential treatments also result in higher rates of acute and chronic toxicities and sequelae. Even years after completion of the initial treatment, many cancer survivors still suffer from sequelae of both malignant disease and therapy. This refers to both psychosocial and somatic involvement. In consequence, a focus of (future) oncology care - beyond successful oncology treatment rates - is to carefully investigate the somatic and psychosocial aspects of long-term sequelae in order to treat them, or - using appropriate preventative measures - to limit or even prevent their occurrence.