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Principles of Systemic Therapy
This material builds on material presented in the Introduction to Clinical Oncology module, specifically the content on the hallmarks of cancer and tumour growth (remind yourself if you need to).
Key concepts:
cancer is a "systemic" disease - roughly 50% patients will develop metastatic disease
systemic therapy (drug therapy - cytotoxic agents, hormones, biologics) distributes widely through the body - normal and malignant tissues
local therapy (surgery, radiation) is directed to a defined area of documented or presumed disease
Goals of Systemic Therapy
Systemic therapy can be given for:
cure
increase survival
palliate symptoms through disease control
primary / induction treatment - when local treatment is insufficient and disease is proven to be disseminated beyond the scope of local therapy
adjuvant / preventive treatment - when disease has possibly disseminated beyond the scope of local treatment (risk of micrometastasis) and when there is a high risk of recurrence with local treatment alone
