“For over a century, doctors and surgeons have been fighting cancer. This fight has gone through very different stages, but it has always focused on the ‘radical eradication’ of the tumor. The inner aspect of people affected by this aggression called cancer in the past has been neglected and even today the attention paid to the states of depression and anxiety generated by the diagnosis is still too low. Often this happens due to a lack of understanding of the general problem. Now we know with certainty that feeling good about ourselves is important. For women and men this includes maintaining an external appearance that does not identify therapy as ‘punishment’. Not allowing the tumor to make us feel bad, to offend us, is an essential part of our therapies. The new paradigm of care, which sees the surgeon flanked by a series of specialized professional figures, allows us to better interpret this approach, which institutions must help to make capill are and operational: the transformation has already taken place and the goal is within our reach “.
With these words Lucio Fortunato, director of the Ao San Giovanni Addolorata Breast Center in Rome and president of the Prometeus Onlus Foundation, a reality that hosts the beauty laboratories of La Forza e il Sorriso in the Capital, spoke at the event ‘The value of care of himself in the path of oncological therapy ‘, promoted today in Rome by Cosmetica Italia and by La Forza e il Sorriso. Fortunato has thus become a spokesperson for the medical-scientific world and healthcare facilities, increasingly oriented in the direction of integrated treatment paths that do not focus only on healing from the disease, but on well-being and on the quality of life at 360 degrees.
“Unfortunately, breast cancer is very frequent – highlighted Fortunato – Every year more than 55 thousand new cases are diagnosed in Italy, so we can say that it is in first place among the cancers that affect women. The percentage of cure is exceptional, about 87-89% of women are cured 5 years after diagnosis. This is excellent news. However, we have an exponential increase in breast cancer cases in the world: in 1990 they were less than a million, by 2030 yes estimate will reach 2 million. But in spite of this exceptional frequency and also of a great attention from the institutions, breast cancer is still a cause of diversity and discrimination. In countries where there is a higher frequency of the disease there is it is also a greater possibility of accessing treatment, and the possibility of treatment is proportional to the wealth of the country “.
More than 800,000 women are living with a former diagnosis of breast cancer. “They are mothers, wives, daughters, sisters – underlined Fortunato – they participate in our society in an active way and therefore the quality of life aspect is extremely important”.
And with regard to the team of La Forza e il Sorriso Onlus that works every day to help women who face cancer find the strength within themselves and a smile in front of the mirror, the oncologist has no doubts: “Until now we were used to to treat the tumor and not the person who had the tumor. For this reason it is a fundamental project because it allows women who undergo chemotherapy to preserve that feminine aspect and that sense of self without interfering with medical treatment “.
“A woman diagnosed with breast cancer is very often still young – specified the specialist – In addition to the disease, however, she faces an infinite series of problems: economic, functional, relational, social. So her well-being is very important for a better quality of life and to ensure a recovery in the right time “.