kuratív

Kuratív is an adjective used in medical terminology to describe interventions and treatment strategies that aim to cure a disease. It designates approaches intended to eradicate the disease process, restore health, and achieve durable remission or cure, rather than merely relieve symptoms or slow progression.

Etymology and usage notes: The form kuratív derives from the Latin curativus and is used in several languages as a translation of the English term curative. In medical documentation, kuratív is employed to indicate treatment with curative intent.

Applications: In clinical practice, kuratív treatment is planned when there is a reasonable expectation of cure. Examples include kuratív surgery that removes a malignant tumor with curative intent, kuratív chemotherapy or radiotherapy designed to achieve lasting remission, and kuratív transplantation in appropriate contexts. Treatments with non-kuratív, or non-curative, intent focus on symptom control, quality of life, or disease stabilization when a cure is unlikely.

Context and limitations: The assessment of curative potential depends on disease stage, biology, patient comorbidity, and treatment response. Some conditions may be theoretically curable but not practically so for a given patient. The term is often contrasted with palliative care or preventive strategies, which do not aim to cure the underlying disease.

See also: curative, curative treatment, curative intent, palliative care, treatment goals.