New aspects of supportive care: The MASCC vision

The Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) was founded in 1991, and joined forces with the International Society of Oral Oncology (ISOO) in 1998. The "mission" of MASCC is to optimize supportive care in cancer patients worldwide, stimulate multi-disciplinary research, encourage international scientific exchange of information, expand professional expertise in supportive care, educate health care professionals worldwide in supportive care, and to serve as a resource for patients, families, and caregivers. Ten years ago, the most frequently addressed supportive care symptoms included pain, febrile neutropenia, and the prevention of nausea and vomiting. These topics are still indeed relevant for cancer patients, but today focus has also turned to topics such as mucositis, and specific supportive care problems in the elderly. Recent, studies have indicated that individually targeted supportive care therapy might become an important part of clinical practice in the near future.