Methods are provided herein for enhancing the effectiveness of medical therapies by administering agents that suppress a biological damage response comprising cellular senescence that is induced by the medical therapy administered to a subject. In certain embodiments, a method is provided for ameliorating toxicity of the medical therapy comprising administering an anti-senescent cell agent that destroys or facilitates destruction of the senescent cells. In certain embodiments, methods are provided for ameliorating toxicity of the medical therapy and for inhibiting metastasis of cancer in a subject who has cancer and receives the medical therapy by administering an anti-senescent cell agent that destroys or facilitates destruction of the senescent cells.
