The number of long-term survivors of malignant diseases is steadily increasing, which
is due to the further development and optimization of multimodal therapy strategies
and the mechanisms of new substance classes. These can now be combined with classical
treatment methods or used sequentially. At the same time the number of patients who
suffer from physical and psychosocial long-term consequences of cancer therapies or
have to live with chronic side effects under the long-term therapies increases. Every
therapy, whether radiation, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or operation, has undesirable
long-term side effects that contribute to the decrease of one's quality of life. These
affect all parts of the body. As a result, patients can be heavily burdened. In oncology
and in other disciplines involved in aftercare, these consequences must therefore
be increasingly addressed and clarified and treatment strategies further developed.
Unfortunately, there is still a considerable need for research in this area; moreover,
there is a lack of clinical studies examining the evidence of a wide variety of holistic
therapy methods.
