Federal support for research on cancer symptoms has steadily increased since 1975, partly in response to national policy statements that have made effective symptom control a priority across the course of the disease, not just at the end of life. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences lists the control of cancer pain as one of its top 20 priorities for improving health care. The 2001 IOM report Improving Palliative Care for Cancer and the 2002 National Institutes of Health (NIH) State-of-the-Science Conference report Symptom Management in Cancer Pain, Depression, and Fatigue both highlighted the paucity of data on the epidemiology, underlying mechanisms, and effective treatments for the most prevalent disease-related and treatment-related symptoms of cancer. The 2001 IOM report called for a significant increase in symptom-directed research, noting that symptom control and palliative care are critical components in comprehensive cancer management. Severe symptoms can result in the postponement or cessation of potentially curative therapies, and poorly managed symptoms are a major source of distress and impaired physical and social functioning for patients and families. For many patients and survivors, effective symptom management is almost as important as tumor control.

Symptoms such as pain, cognitive impairment, depression, fatigue, appetite loss/cachexia, and sleep disorders are not unique to cancer, nor are the studies of their etiologies and treatments unique to one scientific or professional discipline.