Let us talk about patients who have recovered!

They are the crown jewels in our struggle against cancer.

Because cancer is no longer the end but a new beginning! It is gradually becoming a chronic, manageable disease, which is treatable with well-tolerated treatments. The figures speak for themselves. Since the 1970s, the patients who recovered from cancer have increased sixfold! But why are the patients who recovered increasing and multiplying?

The answer is: Thanks to the therapeutic advances that have been achieved and the improved methods of diagnosing and treating cancer!

Thanks to new anti-cancer drugs, targeted therapies and immunotherapy, which activates the immune cells to fight cancer. Tremendous progress has also been made in surgical oncology, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

The accuracy of radiotherapy has now reached the millimeter level because we have visual contact with the targeted tumor at the time of treatment.

This means that we can see exactly what we are targeting, what we are treating and what we are protecting. The most important thing of all is that we are no longer fighting simply for the survival of the patient who has recovered but also for the improvement of their life quality. The transition period from treatment to post-treatment follow-up is important. Our main concern is to prevent any possible metastasis but also to successfully deal with late side effects such as lymphedema, sexual dysfunction, fatigue as well as a poor psychological state.

We leave nothing to chance. We carefully assess what the effect of cancer was on the patient who recovered from it – physically, psychologically and socially.

We are interested in that the patient who recovered from cancer receives from us the appropriate care and support to return smoothly to their social and professional life. Everyone is vital to this struggle!

Other specialties, such as physiotherapists, nutritionists, psychologists, etc., have joined us in our struggle.

At the heart of our efforts lies the family planning of the patient who has recovered. For example, young people who have been affected by cancer and have recovered from it, have every right to become parents. We must highlight the needs of the patients who recovered, support them and organize the regular monitoring of their health. They deserve it because the proved they are born winners.

They know how to fight, they never give up and face problems with courage and optimism. However, on the side of the winners are also the unsung heroes who stand by the patients who recovered: their family and friends. They are their people who eradicated their fears and set aside their desires to support them.

They also need support and guidance and I think we can do more in this area in the future. However, although many battles against cancer have been won, the war still goes on.

In conclusion, I would like to remind you of the value of prevention in order not to experience the adventure of cancer: a healthy and balanced lifestyle ensures many high quality years of life for all of us.