[Cytostatic therapy of metastasizing cancers: therapeutic indications and limitations (author's transl)].

The role of cytostatic drugs in the treatment of patients with advanced, metastasizing tumours and certain-therapeutic regimes are discussed in respect to the following tumours: breast cancer, gynaecological tumours, urinary tract cancers, tumours of the head and neck, lung cancer and bone and soft tissue sarcomas. Recent progress in the management of these patients is outlined, whilst the limitations of cytotoxic treatment, with the inherent possibility of potentially fatal complications, are emphasized.