Currently, cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. It is a serious and complex disease, involving numerous variables that affect not only the physical but also the psychosocial level.
How to Approach Cancer from a Psychological Point of View
Likewise, it is one of the diseases that causes the greatest personal impact, both on the patient and their family members, not only at the time of diagnosis but throughout the experience of cancer, as it implies the disruption of different spheres of their life. Intrinsic to cancer are physical symptoms, psycho-emotional symptoms such as anxiety, anger, depression, guilt, and fear of abandonment; spiritual needs for forgiveness, inner peace, etc., as well as social demands (Sanz, 2004). However, the most studied variables are anxiety, depression, and adaptive disorders (Martínez et al., 2007) that all of them suffer.
What Can Professionals Do?
To achieve an improvement in the patient’s quality of life, it is essential to do so from a care perspective. As stated in Law 41/2002 on “Rights to information concerning health and patient autonomy, and clinical documentation,” all patients have the right to receive information regarding their health. However, despite the legal framework and the growing awareness among **health professionals**, the reality is that, today, in daily practice, multiple problems continue to arise in **meeting patient needs**. In this sense, the commitment and level of involvement on the part of health professionals is increasing, as communication proves to be the fundamental pillar for building a good relationship between healthcare staff and patients.
Communication Between the Oncology Professional and Patient
It must be considered that the **communication of a cancer diagnosis** is a very delicate moment and requires healthcare personnel to assess and attend to each patient in a completely individualized manner, seeking to meet their specific needs.
A **cancer diagnosis** is marked by various biological, psychological, and social variables, affecting the person concerned and those around them. This devastating news represents a before and after in the patient’s life, as well as in their family members. In this sense, cancer treatment should be oriented towards an integral and holistic perspective, considering **psychological and social needs** in addition to biomedical ones.
Cancer Patients, Benefits of Communication with a Care Perspective
- For Cancer Patients:
- They show greater participation in decisions (Mira, 2004)
- They have better adherence to treatments (Labrador and Bara, 2004)
- Better psychological and social adaptation (Arrighi, Jovell, Navarro, 2010)
- Greater fulfillment of patient expectations (Robbins, et al., 1993)
For the oncology professional, establishing **effective communication** means:
- Reduction of work-related stress levels.
- Facilitating symptom management, increasing their satisfaction.
- Decreased need for prescribing non-oncological drugs.
Cancer, Not Just a Physical Disease
However, with the premise of prioritizing life, and primary education in universities for scientific knowledge, communication by health professionals tends to be directed towards the **alleviation of physical pain**, abandoning the **psychological needs** inherently present in the disease.
What is evident is that talking about worries, fears, and insecurities is just as necessary as exploring physical symptoms, since exploring these variables allows the professional to obtain a global profile of the person within a framework that recognizes the patient’s perception of the disease and their needs (Cibanal, Sánchez y Balsa, 2010). This is only possible through a **holistic approach to Cancer**, which allows responding to the multiple needs of patients (physical, emotional, social, and spiritual) with a concise objective: **improving the patient’s quality of life**. The only way to know these needs is through the professional’s actions, which must necessarily be focused on active listening, understanding, sensitivity, and solidarity (Povedano-Jiménez, Catalán-Matamoros, and Granados-Gámez, 2016).