'Best supportive care' has had its day

The Lancet Oncology
M Cullen

Abstract

The term 'best supportive care' has been used since 1988 to describe the control arm in trials evaluating chemotherapy in advanced cancers. There are problems with this term. First, it implies that we more strenuously optimise these components of care in trials than in routine oncology practise, when there is no evidence that we do. Secondly, the name implies that it is effective, when usually it is not. Finally, 'best' suggests that we have reached a clear landmark of progress in non-chemotherapeutic palliation, when clearly we have not. 'Best supportive care' is an unhelpful and misleading term which should be avoided. In future trials, it should be replaced by 'standard palliative care ' with the type and frequency of key palliative interventions documented.

References

Aug 1, 1991·Journal of Clinical Oncology : Official Journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology·R CellerinoG Fatati

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Citations

Apr 21, 2011·Current Opinion in Oncology·Jean Klastersky
Oct 5, 2010·The Cancer Journal·S Yousuf ZafarAmy P Abernethy
Sep 1, 2012·Supportive Care in Cancer : Official Journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer·David HuiEduardo Bruera
Feb 4, 2012·The Lancet Oncology·S Yousuf ZafarAmy P Abernethy
Nov 23, 2011·Journal of Pain and Symptom Management·David HuiEduardo Bruera
May 24, 2011·Seminars in Oncology·Nathan Cherny
Apr 30, 2015·Annals of Oncology : Official Journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology·R T LeeJ Von Roenn
Jul 1, 2009·Journal of Clinical Oncology : Official Journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology·Nathan I ChernyS Yousuf Zafar
May 16, 2014·Current Opinion in Oncology·David Hui
Nov 12, 2014·The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews·Nils BergenthalNicole Skoetz
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Jul 20, 2002·Current Opinion in Oncology·Louise Medley, Michael Cullen
Jul 22, 2004·The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews·N AhmedS Paz

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