Supportive care in cancer

Image: @j_carrollc

Since the World Cancer Declaration, launched in 2006, called upon government leaders and policymakers around the world to significantly reduce the global cancer burden, promote greater equity in the access to cancer services, and integrate cancer control into the global health and development agenda, significant progress has been made in cancer control globally. Dedicated efforts to develop quality, comprehensive, cancer care currently exist in many LMICs, although they tend to focus on clinical services. Less attention is directed to the development of supportive care services and measuring the impact and value such services might provide for cancer patients and their families in these settings.

Studies in high-income countries (HIC) have shown that providing appropriate supportive care to newly diagnosed cancer patients may help them and their caregivers manage emotional and psychological symptoms, and address social/cultural or logistical barriers, which in turn may improve treatment compliance and patients’ quality of life. However, in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), where more than 70% of all cancer-related deaths occur, there is a dearth of supportive care interventions and an overall lack of research studies evaluating their effectiveness in these low-resource settings.

Ensuring that patients and caregivers receive the assistance they need as they navigate the cancer care pathway and feel supported throughout is crucial to improving cancer outcomes in LMICs. In collaboration with Global Focus on Cancer we conducted a scoping review of the supportive care interventions for cancer patients in LMICs. Our results suggest that providing different types of supportive services in less-resourced settings, even when health systems are fragmented and fragile, is possible and can improve the mental, and physical health, and quality of life of cancer patients.

Read more:

• Supportive care interventions for cancer patients in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs): a scoping review