Quality of Life in Cancer Patients: The Modern Psycho-Oncologic Approach for Romania-A Review.
Monica LicuClaudiu Gabriel IonescuSorin PaunPublished in: Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.) (2023)
Quality of life (QOL) is an important indicator of human satisfaction and well-being. QOL is significantly and persistently affected for patients after a cancer diagnosis. Despite some evidence suggesting that psycho-oncologic interventions can provide lasting benefits, the inclusion of such interventions in cancer therapy is not universal. This article provides an overview of the known approaches to the evaluation of QOL in cancer patients and various interventions for improving patients' outcomes, with a focus on the eastern European regional and specific Romanian context. With a mortality rate above and cancer care performance below the EU average and unequally distributed, Romania urgently needs a national coordination program, which is discussed in our review, highlighting the main psychological tools needed for the assessment and the challenges involved in implementing the program. In the end, we suggest some directions for the future development of the psycho-oncologic approach in the context of social considerations, policy, and the unexpected financial challenges the nation provides.
Keyphrases
- end stage renal disease
- quality improvement
- newly diagnosed
- cancer therapy
- ejection fraction
- physical activity
- chronic kidney disease
- healthcare
- prostate cancer
- rectal cancer
- mental health
- drug delivery
- radical prostatectomy
- adipose tissue
- skeletal muscle
- patient reported outcomes
- young adults
- depressive symptoms
- papillary thyroid
- neural network
- patient reported
- childhood cancer