[Intra- or Postoperative Chemoprophylaxis? (author's transl)].

The surgical cure rates for most operable cancers have remained unchanged over the past few decades despite progress in local treatment and "prophylactic" preor postoperative radiotherapy. Due to the limitations of primary and secondary prophylaxis (prevention and "early" diagnosis), tertiary prophylaxis (adjuvant chemotherapy to prevent relapse or dissemination) has aroused considerable interest in tumor management recently. Definite progress in prolongation of the postoperative tumorfree interval has been obtained in controlled studies of breast cancer, osteogenic sarcomas and other target neoplasms. Long-term chemoprophylaxis has proved to be more effective than peroperative short courses of chemotherapy.