Un breast cancer life changes. Indeed, it distorts it. The woman after this diagnosis lives with the burden of fear and of shock not to survive. The uncertainty of the futureanxiety about i body changesthe worry for the family they undermine his therapeutic path. The woman who receives this diagnosis feels healthy. She’s fine. You do not have pain in your stomach, leg or head for which you understand the urgency of having surgery or medication. There Oncological “sentence” there disorientates and puts her back to the wall. You have to metabolize the “because to her “what to do and who to contact to get out of the darkness in which the sound of the word “cancer” made it fall precipitously. What are the things that can really make a difference in this context?
What changes
Sometimes it is the family itself that complicates the management of the disease. She is not ready to receive the tragic news and she does not know how to help: «The 20% of breast cancer cases affects people with family history” – he claims Paola Martinoni, breast surgeon – «the experience of others can be useful, but each has its own history and deserves understanding». The element that unites confident and combative patients is the coaching of professionals with spiccata humanity: “If you are lucky you are taken by the hand by the doctor who makes the diagnosis” – he explains – “you just have to close your eyes And trust you, knowing who to contact for any eventuality ». The reality is that often the path prepared in hospitals stands out for coldness And little empathy.
Breast Unit
In hospitals everything is perfect. Almost. The woman performs the first examination, ultrasound and mammography, the needle aspiration or biopsy in the same place, she can make the surgical visit, be operated on, do radiotherapy and chemo without changing the structure. “There is no waiting list»- he affirms -« in a month about come in operating room“. If from a point of view the path is clinical and instrumental it is well organized and efficienton the front emotional is rather lacking: «A woman look for a smile, security, familiarity»- he underlines -« but they are operator-dependent quality“. Change the perspective to tell the patient that she has a 60% survival at 5 years or to reassure her about the chances of recovery, to tell her that she will lose her hair or to give her directions to buy a good wig: ” woman is like a suitcase putting on a conveyor belt»- he explains -« he comes slammed left and righteven if the tape carries it to its destination no one considers the blows it takes. The delicacy is missing ».
How much do you suffer?
The average duration of breast cancer treatment is one year. The most efficient chronoprogram includes diagnosis, after one week the biopsy, within two weeks the report, within one month the surgery, finally after about one month radio or chemo. There radiotherapy takes about 3 weeks and the chemo 6 months: «You suffer, you feel nauseous, you feel bad» – he says – «often the spouse goes into depression, the woman hides her anxious state from her children, maybe he doesn’t find understanding at work ”. There are many factors that can increase negative feelings: “It can all be experienced as a nightmare or an experience to draw from something good»- underlines Dr. Martinoni -« in the latter case the patients at the end of the disease they want to share to help. They want make sense to their life and to past suffering“.
Fears
The breast cancer it is absolute the most frequent in each age group and the 30% of all cancers from the age of 25. At that age, but certainly later too, the amputation of one or both breasts becomes a scar to femininity, as well as the inevitable hair loss e the effects of hormone therapy that patients need to follow for 5 years: «Come in menopause»- he explains -« maybe you are only 35 years old, without a man next to you, and you already know of not being able to procreate. Denied motherhood changes a woman’s life terribly, it hurts her deeply ». However, these fears come only after surgery: «The first thought of patients with this diagnosis “- emphasizes the surgeon -“it is not the breastif they could sometimes they would take it off themselves. They want to break free quickly of the tumor “. The real drama is related to survival: «Will I die of this? What life expectancy do I have?»- he says -« these are the questions they ask me at the beginning ». Removed the “unwanted guest” they are afraid of suffering from therapies: «A good doctor makes it clear what he is the chemotherapy is preciousright down to the last drop “- he says -” and the encourages immediately to breast reconstruction. It is essential for one complete psychological healing“.
And at the end?
The long follow-up of a breast cancer forces the woman to think forever about the disease and to prevention for his family members. Centers and associations such as the Libellule Onlus Associationfounded in 2015 by Dr. Martinoni with the support of prof. Umberto Veronesi in memory of Franca Veronesi, help women to solve the control problems after illnesswithout stress: «I set up this association because I don’t want to make any woman feel alone»- he explains -« we cannot change the attitude of all doctors but we can make the difference from diagnosis to subsequent years, contributing to erase the cancer from the mind of the patients “. The cancer always comes from a trauma suffered: «But also the trauma of how you cope the path »- he concludes -« can change the prognosis and the probabilities of relapse“.
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