Supportive Therapy
Supporting Methods in the Treatment of Brain Tumour Patients
This kind of therapy does not directly aim at the tumour growth, but at complaints and symptoms that are caused by the tumour or the treatment.
Typical indications for supportive therapy are tumour-specific symptoms (intracranial pressure, headaches, seizures), complications related to the treatment (vomiting, pain, infections, thrombosis, changes in the blodd picture) or psychological problems.
In very advanced disease stages, supportive and palliative therapy are aiming at the same effect. Maintening the quality of life should be focussed in case of a fast progress of the disease.
Supportive therapeutic measures are:
avoiding epileptic seizures
psycho-oncological therapy
- treatment of brain edema
- pain management
- preventing vomiting and fever
- thrombosis prophylaxis
- treatment of the organic brain syndrom
- tools for patients confined to bed
