About 7 out of 10 women with metastatic breast cancer and over 8 out of 10 men with metastatic prostate cancer they also develop bone metastases: in one out of 3 cases they are associated with skeletal complications, including pathological fractures. However, complications can be prevented in 40% of cases, by ‘listening’ to one’s bones and starting appropriate therapies. Yet the awareness of what the prevention of skeletal events caused by bone metastases can offer to patients today is not yet fully known. For this reason, on the occasion of the World Cancer Daythe ‘Engage’ project promoted by Oncology patient network Italy (Ropi) with the non-conditioning support of Amgen Italia, to provide information.
It is a questionnaire of 28 questions, made available from today on the web and social channels of Ropi (www.reteoncologicaropi.it; www.facebook.com/reteoncologicaropi), which aim to know the perceived, cognitive and emotional of cancer patients, on the complications of bone metastases and their adequate knowledge, in the context of manifestations, prevention and treatment.
The questionnaire is therefore a ‘tool’ to help the patient to ‘listen’ and improve knowledge of bone problems and its implications, but also an invitation to the medical oncology class to ‘listen’ to the perception of patients, their need for know and trust treatment opportunities. Responses that can help avoid important adverse events impacting quality of life and adherence to effective anti-tumor therapies, and to signal the need for patient education initiatives.
‘Only 25% of those affected by bone metastases today receive specific therapy’
“Ropi, with Engage, becomes the interpreter and advocate of the first and major investigation launched on bone metastases, which – underlines the president of the network Stefania Gori, who also directs the medical oncology of the Irccs Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital in Negrar di Valpolicella (Verona) – has ‘listening’ as its guiding thread, recalling the importance of the humanization of medicine. Awareness of the risk of skeletal complications is still rather poor, unfortunately. There are still few – highlights Gori – patients informed about this type of consequences and it is estimated that only 25% of those suffering from bone metastases today receive specific therapy for the bones. It is understandable that the focus is on cancer therapy, but it is necessary to help patients and those close to them to understand that bone care is an integral part of the therapeutic path “.
Taking care of your bones does not only mean controlling the pain associated with metastatic disease, preventing skeletal complications and maintaining a good quality of life, but it also helps the patient to maintain the conditions necessary to follow cancer therapies consistently and without interruptions.
“With Engage – he explains Maria Luce Vegna, medical director Amgen Italy – continues Amgen’s commitment to support the medical scientific community in the holistic care of patients facing the complicated management of bone metastases. ‘Close the gap’, the theme of this year’s World Cancer Day, invites us to ‘close the gap’. And Amgen’s commitment in this direction – Vegna points out – wants to keep a broad view: from the desire to feed an increasingly profitable meeting place and exchange between the needs of patients and the response of clinicians, to the contribution to standardize and accelerate access to the most advanced treatments throughout the national territory “.
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