Abstract
In recent years, cancer therapy has come to be considered from the aspect of the quality of life (QOL), in addition to the aspects of the survival rate and efficacy. Because the background of cancer patients and their situation are diverse, it is necessary to administer appropriate cancer therapy, taking into consideration each patient's QOL. However, to achieve this, we must consider the meaning of QOL and the method of assessment there of. With full awareness of the chronic nature of cancer, we must establish a basic approach to cancer therapy in which attention is paid to the QOL depending on the stage of cancer of each patients. From the above viewpoint, practical methods of treatment should be established, and the QOL must be analyzed scientifically. Various problems relating to the QOL in clinical oncology are discussed in this paper. Achieving good QOL in clinical oncology requires individual therapy which considers the various background factors of each patients. It should be freshly realized that cancer therapy is a medical activity which must take a holistic approach to each patient, and that it constantly affects the patient. This approach should not be limited only to terminal care but should be applied to all areas of clinical oncology.
