C.dares patients want to be treated for metastatic breast cancer or how many are undergoing therapy to eradicate breast cancer HER2 + a more difficult type of this pathology? Two important initiatives presented in Milan, in the month dedicated to breast cancer prevention, gave a voice to women. A manifestation of Europa Donna investigates what HER2 + specific breast cancer patients want Wave Foundation
October 13 is the day of metastatic breast cancer
Europe Woman presented a 5-point manifesto pivot of a social advertising campaign that from Wednesday 5 October spread a poster with five requests on the occasion of the second day of awareness on metastatic breast cancer on 13 October. There are 45 thousand women in Italy today with metastatic breast cancer – an increase compared to the most recent data which recorded 37 thousand – their faces and their requests are those of the advertising campaign “One voice for all“. promoted by Europa Donna Italia and other associative networks such as ANDOS., MeetWoman, Honeycomb Woman and Beyond the Pink Ribbon.
The poster of Europa Donna
A moment from the back stage of the Europa Donna campaign A voice for all.
What do the patients want from the institutions, point by point
A specific path access to therapies within the Breast Units. for those who have different needs, and to minimize waiting times in treatment. They ask integrated teams of specialists because metastatic breast cancer affects different parts of the body. Finally, the request is made to have the oncologists available from their reference center, with an even on weekends.
Access to clinical trials and innovative drugs
What do patients want regarding experimental therapies? The request is to have an accessible database showing all clinical studies in Italy, validated by the Ministry of Health.
Women are asking for specific information channels and the active participation of doctors, because all women with metastatic breast cancer have the same right of choice. in the same line the request to have faster times for the approval of innovative drugs in a field that in the last three years has seen a leap forward in research and an improvement in prospects for women with metastatic breast cancer. Therefore, women are asking that AIFA speed up the approval process of new drugs, so that they are prescriptions more quickly.
Civil invalidity
The request is to speed up the procedure for ascertaining civil invalidity for people suffering from oncological pathologies, in stage IV
The psycho oncologist
The request to have is also advocated psycho-oncological support in each Breast Unit and to be able to count on professionals dedicated to psychophysical well-being.
The research of the Onda Foundation
Receive emotional support and more accurate information, have more indications on prevention, be better oriented to follow the diagnostic and therapeutic path. These are the key points of the research of the Onda Foundation – national observatory on women’s health and gender The experience of patients with HER2 + breast cancer.
Psychological support is the key request in this survey as well. One in three patients (35 percent of the women involved) would like in the path of therapy and diagnosis the figure of the psycho-oncologist. But patients also want therapy that teach you to manage stress and relax (22 percent) and self-help groups (19 percent) to better cope with the disease.
A sense of disorientation
What do breast cancer patients want? A guide you can trust
The request for psychological support is particularly urgent, as the diagnosis of this tumor form pushes to give up their life plans for many. 60 percent give up pregnancy, 25 percent go to work. And in general change the vision of themselves and their external appearance (75 percent).
Tutor wanted
«One in three interviewees», the research continues, «thinks it is a reference figure is required. Need who that can give an overview of the steps to follow, that provides one full knowledge of the different therapeutic options possible »And that indicates the strategies that allow the woman to have a conscious role in their choice.
The communication gap
“There is a communication gap on what revolves around therapy care services lifestyle impact of the disease on daily life” commented the research Francesca Merzagora, President of the Onda Foundation. The remarkable advances in research and therapy have not so far found a counterpart in terms of health organization. Filippo de Braud, full professor at the state university of Milan and director of the department and division of medical oncology of the national cancer institute of Milan, said this at the presentation of the research.
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