[Future of chemotherapy].

The future development of chemotherapy is derived based upon recent advances. With regard to adjuvant therapy a trend towards standardized prediction of recurrence risk using all available prognostic markers (e.g., nomograms) is observed. Furthermore, in some tumors major progress has been made regarding the development of "molecular classifiers" defining tumor biology (predicting clinical outcome) by analysis of molecular changes. In adjuvant therapy considerable advances may be achieved by use of new chemotherapeutic agents as well as sequential, dose-dense and dose-intensified regimens. However, in metastatic disease no breakthrough can be expected at least with regard to survival suggesting that quality of life needs to be addressed with more emphasis. Using targeted drugs alone or in combination with chemotherapy advances concerning adjuvant therapy as well as metastatic disease are observed. Further targeted drugs have entered clinical development. However, clarification of the relation between detection of the target(s) and drug activity will fundamentally change current treatment concepts.