The Metastatic breast cancer affects 37 thousand women in Italy. New therapies have extended life expectancy and therefore opened up the possibility of returning to work for patients. But for a woman who receives a diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer “the figure of the psycho-oncologist who plays a role of welcome, support, coaching and emotional orientation becomes increasingly central”. This is what the psycho-oncologist told Adnkronos Salute Pauline Emma Dimastromatteo.
“The woman who receives a diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer experiences a phase of profound shock and profound discomfort – explains Dimastromatteo – to such an extent that the perception of her life, her relationships and herself changes, but also that of one’s daily life, one’s habits. The illness, therefore, represents a moment of profound emotional distress. The woman is disoriented because from the diagnosis to the treatment phase she often does not even have time to process what is happening is to listen to the patient and her new needs and emotions, inform her about the disease and therapies and help her deal with suffering, fatigue, fears, including that of experiencing the change in her body and relating to her children, partner and family. So the psycho-oncologist has the role of accompanying women in a phase of change and adaptation”.
Breast cancer is one of the most common tumors among women all over the world – recalls the expert – However, when we talk about metastatic breast cancer, it is also associated from a collective point of view, consequently also for women who receives this diagnosis, the anguish of incurability. In reality, the advancement of therapies tells us that even metastatic breast cancer is curable, because life expectancy has increased it can be associated with a state of chronic, chronic illness. However, despite these encouraging data, women have a very uncertain and precarious outlook on the future.”
The psychological impact “is very strong – underlines Dimastromatteo – Psychological support is a fundamental and essential factor. It is no coincidence that the World Health Organization reminds us that health is a question of body and mind from a holistic perspective. Therefore, a woman who takes care of her life, who does not identify with the disease, but who integrates different aspects and different phases of her life is a woman who also improves her own immune responses and, consequently, also improves the responses of your body to cancer treatments”. When returning to work, the psychological problems that a woman with metastatic breast cancer has to face are different: they range from embarrassment to fear of retaliation.
“Returning to work is certainly a very delicate moment because, if on the one hand it represents a first step towards returning to habits and normality – specifies the expert – it is also a stressful moment. While the woman has taken care of her health, the work environment has continued, the team has continued its dynamics. Therefore, even in this case the patient experiences a phase of distress which in some way can be processed within a psycho-oncological space”. The first step to face a return to work “is certainly awareness of oneself and one’s limits – Dimastromatteo remarks – because having undergone life-saving treatments means for a woman having tired her body, but also her cognitive processes, as well as having tired the entire emotional and psychological sphere, thus recognizing the fatigue, the tiredness, the difficulty in concentrating and the effort in re-adapting to a work environment becomes a starting point for a new adaptation process”.
As with all tumors, metastatic breast cancer “is a disease that has an impact on the entire family system and on the couple. Many research recognizes how the role of the caregiver/partner/family member is essential in promoting good adaptation to the disease of the person. It is clear that an oncological diagnosis is a moment of emotional collapse for the patient, but it is also for the family member, the caregiver or the partner. Therefore – concludes the psycho-oncologist – being able to have one from this perspective too space for processing, for listening to the struggles, listening to the difficulties can become that incentive for a more open, more sincere, more genuine communication between the patient and the partner, for example to go in a direction that is healthier, for well-being of the couple or of the entire family system”. Further information on the topic is available on the ‘E’ tempo di Vita’ website (etempodivita.it).
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