Distress vital sign to monitor in cancer patients —Experts

With increasing incidence of cancers in Nigeria, experts have called for adequate monitoring of distress in cancer patients to ensure they have an improved quality of life and treatment adherence.

National president, Psycho-Oncology Society of Nigeria, Professor Chioma Asuzu, speaking at the 9th Psycho-Oncology Society of Nigeria (POSON) national scientific conference, stated that distress is a vital sign in the treatment of cancer patients that should not be overlooked.

Asuzu said providing psychotherapy would help them to adjust and increase the quality of life of the patients.

She declared, “cancer is stressful; its management is stressful. Patients are anxious because they do not know the outcome. Chemotherapy can have side effects.

“They need to know its mode of treatment and to adhere to their treatment. Some patients, because of the adverse effects of the treatment, absconded but they need to complete their treatment.”

The expert said that at the University College Hospital (UCH), a psycho-education clinic runs every Tuesday, where cancer patients also have the opportunity of meeting cancer survivors, some for over 25 years.

• Risks associated with oral s3x

Professor Asuzu, therefore, called for the incorporation of psycho-oncology into the main stream of oncology care in Nigeria.

Head, Department of Radiation Oncology, UCH, Ibadan, Professor Adeniyi Adenipekun stated that there is a psychological aspect of every disease, making psychotherapy important both for the patients and their relatives.

Professor Adenipekun, who spoke through Dr Babatunde Ogunnorin, added that “cancer patients need more than drugs. Some are going through depression and some through anxiety, either by reason of the diagnosis or the fear of the side effects of the treatment. So it is very important to have psycho-oncologists in all of our cancer centres across the nation.”

Chief Medical Director and chairman at the opening of the conference, Professor Abiodun Otegbayo said cancer was now a major cause of premature death globally that the hospital had prioritised its treatment.

Professor Otegbayo, who was represented by Dr Abiodun Adeoye, urged the conference to come up with findings to shape policies on treatment and control of noncommunicable diseases, including cancers as well as ensure their psychological stability.

POSON”s board chairman Professor Adedapo Campbell stressed the need for a holistic cancer treatment and called for more international collaborative research on the care of persons with cancer as well as increased awareness about cancer in Nigeria.