Ethics in the Management of Information for Patients with Locally Advanced Breast Cancer
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56294/mw2025225Keywords:
Medical ethics, communication, prognosis, locally advanced breast cancerAbstract
Introduction: Making medical decisions for oncology patients, especially those in critical conditions, inherently involves both clinical and ethical challenges. Clearly, no medical act in any specialty is devoid of an ethical component; however, "the ethical dilemmas that arise in the care of any patient become more pronounced with a cancer diagnosis." The diagnosis and treatment of locally advanced breast cancer imply, for these women, the loss of the symbolic role of their breasts, changes in their relationship with their partner, sexual life, and the reaction of their partner/family to anger. In this case, cancer is perceived by women as a risk and a threat to life, and the removal of the breast primarily affects the identity of the female body. The ethical management of this disease poses a challenge for healthcare professionals.
Objective: To describe the ethical aspects related to handling information about locally advanced breast cancer and to present strategies that may improve the training of healthcare professionals in this regard.
Method: A literature review was conducted using databases such as Scielo, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Redalyc, and Google Scholar. The references included updated articles published in the last five years, selecting the most relevant aspects of the topic.
Conclusions: Proper communication of information to patients with breast cancer and the expertise of healthcare professionals in conveying it positively influence treatment adherence.
References
1. Gorda Marcos, Ética en el tratamiento de pacientes con cáncer, Cuadernos de Bioética 2022/2"
2. Forbes JF. The control of breast cancer: the role of tamoxifen. Semmin Oncol. 2021; 24(1 Suppl 1):5-19.
3. Ministerio de Salud pública.Dirección nacional de registros médicos y estadísticas de salud. Anuario estadístico 2021.La Habana, abril 2022.
4. Mathew J. Asgeirsson KS, Cheung KL, Chan S, Dahda A, Robertson JFR. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced breast cancer: A review of the literature and future directions. Eur J Surg Oncol. 2019; 35:113; 35:113-122.
5. Sharon GH. Update on Locally Advanced Breast Cancer. Oncologist 2023; 8:521; 8:521-530.
6. De vita y colab. Aspectos psicológicos de los pacientes con cáncer. Principios y práctica de oncología. Ed. Salvat, 2, edición. Cap. 55: 1913-1927; 1988
7. Conley J. Ethics in head and Neck Sllrgery. Arch. Otolaringology 107: 655-657; 1981.
8. Silva GA, Jardim BC, Ferreira VM, et al. Mortalidade por câncer nas capitais e no interior do Brasil: uma análise de quatro décadas. Rev Saude Publica [Internet]. 2020 [consultado 4 sep 2024];54:126. Disponible en: https://doi.org/10.11606/s1518-8787.2020054002255
9. Lain Entralgo P. La relación médico enfermo. Historia y teoría. De Revista de occidente. Madrid. 2022.
10. Lain Entralgo P. La medicina hipocrática. De Rev. de Occidente. Madrid, 2019.
11. Organización Mundial de la Salud. Alivio del dolor y tratamiento paliativo del Cancer. Cap. 8". Consideraciones Éticas. Ginebra 2021.
12. Chapman C. On the definition and teaching of Medical Ethic. New England Jour Of Med. 301: 630-634; 2020.
13. Instituto Nacional do Câncer José Alencar Gomes da Silva. ABC do câncer: abordagens básicas para o controle do câncer. 6 ed. rev. atual. Rio de Janeiro: INCA; 2023.
14. Kubler Ross E. Sobre la muerte y los moribundos. Ed Grijalbo, Barcelona,2023.
15. De vita JR. Hellman S, Rosenberg S.Cancer, principies ami practice of Oncology. Vol. 2: Psycological and Ethical issues in the care of cancer patients. Ed. J.B. Lippincott: 2448-2464; 2019.
16. Instituto Nacional del Cáncer (NCI). PDQ® sobre los cuidados médicos de apoyo y los cuidados paliativos. PDQ Comunicación en la atención del cáncer. Bethesda (MD): NCI [Internet]. Dic 2024 [consultado 27 dic 2024]. Disponible en: https://www.cancer.gov/espanol/cancer/sobrellevar/adaptacion-al-cancer /comunicacion-pdq .
17. McCoy LG, Ci Ng FY, Sauer CM, Yap Legaspi KE, Jain B, Gallifant J, et al. Understanding and training for the impact of large language models and artificial intelligence in healthcare practice: a narrative review. BMC Med Educ [Internet]. 2024 Oct 7[consultado 4 sep 2024];24(1):1096. https://www.10.1186/s12909-024-06048-z .
18. Dewez S, Laurin C, Ogez D, Bourque CJ, Curnier D, Laverdière C, et al. Elaboration and refinement of a motivational communication training program for healthcare professionals in pediatric oncology: a feasibility and acceptability study. Health Psychol Behav Med [Internet]. 2021 Mar 24[consultado 4 sep 2024];9(1):220-238. https://www.10.1080/21642850.2021.1903326 .
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Sureimy Batlle Zamora, German Boligan Dupeyron, Suleima Batlle Zamora, Humberto Gámez Oliva, Eledys Marquez Blanco (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The article is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Unless otherwise stated, associated published material is distributed under the same licence.
