“Your medicines” deals with therapeutic adherence against cancer in a new video blog within the framework of World Cancer Day, February 4. We focus on factors such as a correct diet and the practice of physical exercise as allies of cancer treatments. We spoke with Dr. Paula Jiménez Fonseca and with Diego Villalon, from the Fundación Más Que Ideas
Healthy nutrition and exercise, allies of cancer treatment
EFEsalud and the Viatris Foundation for Health continue their joint project in 2022 to disseminate information on the importance of therapeutic adherence in the treatment and control of pathologies and the benefits that compliance brings to the quality of life of patients.
On this occasion, we talk about cancer. Treatments are essential in dealing with oncological diseases, there is no doubt, and adherence to them is decisive in overcoming or making a tumor chronic, but as the two experts who participate in this video blog point out, the complementary task they perform against cancer is a healthy nutrition and physical exercise are more than remarkable.
“Your medicines” has moved to the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid because there we have interviewed one of our two protagonists, the medical oncologist of the Central University Hospital of Asturias (HUCA) and secretary of the Board of Directors of the Spanish Group of Neuroendocrine and Endocrine Tumors (GETNE), Dr. Paula Jiménez Fonseca, who has attended a symposium of this oncology association.
We have also mentioned Diego Villalón, co-founder of Fundación Más Que Ideas, a civil organization that works actively in defense of health and the rights and needs of patients.
Medical oncologist Paula Jiménez Fonseca
How important is therapeutic adherence in the approach to cancer?
If a patient decides not to undergo curative surgery, they may lose the chance to be cured of the disease.
In the systemic treatments that we oncologists administer, we try to control the toxicity of patients in order to maintain their periodicity and dose intensity, which we know have an impact on the results; and when we talk about results it is the time that patient can live with that cancer.
So in short, the therapeutic adherence it is critical to outcomes, in this case, the patient’s life and quality of life.
In cancer treatment, there are other factors that are also important: nutrition, food, exercise, healthy lifestyle habits, psycho-oncology. They are not therapeutic adherence exactly, but do they play an important role, doctor?
Fundamental; the patient who eats a healthy diet and leads a healthy lifestyle with sports, will better cope with the disease.
Being physically strong helps in dealing with cancer along with the treatments that are administered.
So, indirectly, having a healthy lifestyle leads patients to better combat the disease psychologically and have greater adherence to treatment.
As a whole, do cancer patients comply with the treatments?
Socially, cancer has always been a much feared disease. We associate it with death, but today it is not a reality because most patients are cured.
The adherence to treatments it is higher, but oncological fatigue begins to appear, patients live with the disease and sometimes the disease is not cured, but if you continue with the treatment you can achieve very good results.
Sometimes we do what is called ´therapeutic vacations´, small breaks because the treatments sometimes generate toxicity that can tire, but overall adherence is good.
How has covid affected cancer?
It has delayed diagnoses and some treatments, especially surgeries, which have been delayed due to the subsequent need to enter ICUs, which were overwhelmed.
But I think that as a whole in Spain we have known how to handle it by referring patients to centers of excellence or to other communities with less impact at that time.
Diego Villalón: More Than Ideas Foundation
What is the importance of adherence in cancer treatment?
Adherence to cancer treatment is very important, it is one of the great challenges at the healthcare level.
First of all because it influences the efficacy of the treatments, that is, what we hope to achieve from the treatments, but also safety, any occurrence of complications, interactions, side effects. It is very important to work in this direction.
In the field of cancer, it must be borne in mind that, fortunately, diseases are increasingly becoming chronic, and these are populations that are normally of advanced age and, therefore, there may be the presence of other therapies, in addition to cancer.
Therefore, it is important to look at and offer very close support and accompaniment to people with cancer to promote therapeutic adherence.
Nutrition, exercise, a healthy life, how important are they?
Self-care and healthy living habits are concepts that are within adherence. The emotional situation of a person influences the degree of adherence, which is why it is so important to offer mental health resources to patients.
Physical exercise and diet have shown evidence in some types of cancer that it improves prognosis and quality of life.
The ideal is to prescribe physical exercise prescribed by specialists and provide nutritional support from diagnosis, but unfortunately there is still a long way to go to achieve the multidisciplinary care that people with cancer need.
From patient associations or civil society organizations such as the Fundación Más Que Ideas, what role is being played, is there progress?
Civil and patient organizations have much to contribute in the field of adherence.
In the first place, highlighting the needs and deficiencies that exist at the healthcare level and the need to focus care on the person and not so much on the disease, because in this way we will be able to adjust the therapeutic and care plan more closely to the needs and people’s realities.
And on the other hand, we are a resource for accompaniment, support and information on those issues that are not found in assistance, such as information on food, physical exercise, emotional aspects; and it is very important in this sense, the increasingly close union between health and medical groups and civil and patient associations.
world cancer day
We have prepared this video blog in the context of World Cancer Day, February 4.
Covid and its definitive control is crucial for the health of humanity, but cancer is a much more serious disease. It must remain at the forefront of the health agenda.
And in the treatment and approach to cancer, therapeutic adherence is basic, but a good diet and the practice of physical exercise, too.
