Supportive Care and Symptom Management

The Supportive Care and Symptom Management program supports studies on the prevention or treatment of acute and chronic symptoms and morbidities related to cancer and its treatment. This includes the impact on the quality of life of patients and their informal caregivers. The program also supports studies of patients and their caregivers at the end of life.

About Supportive Care and Symptom Management

The program supports research in three areas: prevention or treatment of acute or chronic symptoms and morbidities related to cancer, its treatment and caregiving (symptom management research); effects on quality of life from cancer, its treatment and caregiving (quality of life research); and end-of-life psychosocial issues, caregiving and treatment strategies (end-of-life research).

Through the NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP), clinical trials are underway to evaluate therapies to prevent or ameliorate a broad range of symptoms and/or toxicities associated with cancer its treatment and caregiving. Other studies funded separately are investigating a range of treatment effects on health-related quality of life and a variety of influences on the end-of-life cancer experience. 

Topic Areas include: Anorexia, Cachexia, Cardiotoxicity, Caregiver Issues, Cognitive Dysfunction, Distress/Anxiety/Depression, End of Life, Fatigue, Geriatrics, Hot Flashes, Lymphedema, Medication Adherence, Mucositis, Multiple Symptoms, Musculoskeletal Symptoms, Nausea, Neuropathy, Nutrition, Oral Complications, Other Supportive Care Issues, Pain, Palliative Care, Pediatrics/Adolescents/Young Adult, Physical Functioning, Quality of Life, Skin Toxicities, Sleep Disorders, and Urinary Complications.

Selected Topics

• HEAL Initiative
• Patient Resources on Side Effects of Cancer Treatment
• Patient Resources on Coping with Cancer