Three of the issues that are political priorities at European level, and also in Spain, are closely related to each other. The mental health, the Cancer and the climate change occupy the upper part of the agenda and budgets of the European Union (EU).
The depression and anxiety appear in patients with serious pathologies. A study presented at ASCO analyzes the coincidence of these psychiatric conditions in cancer patients. It is not necessary to remember that ongoing stress itself is a risk factor associated with cancer.
But a cancer patient with depression or anxiety is more It is difficult to treat Y requires more resources of the health system. The comparison is straightforward: a retrospective analysis presented at ASCO has compared patients with and without mental health disorders. Patients with breast, colorectal and prostate cancer over 65 years of age were included in the study.
The impact of patients with cancer and depression and anxiety problems was examined using data from healthcare needs and medication. The half of the nearly 20,000 patients studied had depression or anxiety coexistent. Breast cancer had a significantly higher rate of mental affectation, followed by colorectal.
“The mental state influences the elderly treatment costs associated with cancer. But it is data to be analyzed more deeply “
A 54% increase in associated costs has been determined with respect to cancer patients who did not present mental health problems. What is surprising is that after adjusting for the costs associated with these mental disorders, the cost of treating them. Without a doubt, the mental state influences the elderly treatment costs associated with cancer. But it is data to be analyzed more deeply.
“One in every 8 deaths in Europe is related to radiation, carcinogens, pollution and infectious agents”
Pollution and cancer
In this context, exposure to pollution and carcinogens in relation to climate change has been related to oncohematological diseases. At least one in 8 deaths in Europe it is related to radiation, carcinogens, pollution and cancers associated with infectious agents.
The EU European Cancer Plan will include relating the environmental data, work in a network and in a multidisciplinary way. Considering that the 40% of cancer cases are preventable, the EU Plan is an unprecedented opportunity to eliminate risks in the second cause of death in Europe.
A new epidemiology will now focus on environmental measurement and in obtaining new parameters that fix pollution limits and can effectively prevent the development of cancer.
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