Cancer: no more cancer patients dismissed. The next challenge is on malnutrition

Forty-seven patient associations united in the group 'Health: an asset to be defended, a right to be promoted', another year of work for the protection of oncological patients and dialogue with the institutions and, above all, a result - eagerly awaited - achieved. We are talking about the law on job retention and paid leave for workers with oncological and onco-haematological pathologies, to which we also add the recent approval in the Chamber of Deputies of a motion on nutrition in the prevention and treatment of cancer patients and its necessary integration in the care pathway, in parallel with cancer treatment.

"Everything that has taken place in this 2025 is proof that the group's work, in synergy with the Parliamentary Intergroup 'Together for a commitment against cancer', has yielded excellent results," commented Annamaria Mancuso, president of Salute Donna Odv, on the occasion of the annual Cancer Policy Forum held in the Chamber of Deputies. The first important goal, she emphasises, "is the labour law: we will have to continue along this road in order to have notional contributions also recognised, with the possibility for the patient on leave not to lose them for pension purposes. However, one fact is certain and certain: in our country, no patient with a cancerous disease will ever again be dismissed'.

'The other important topic we have been working on for some time,' Mancuso continues, 'is nutrition. It is well known that cancer patients can have eating problems due to malnutrition, which affects 30% to 50% of the cancer population and in about 20-30% of cases can even lead to death. Hence the need for special attention to correct lifestyles, which are important as prevention, but also as a cure: this is why the motion unanimously approved in the Chamber of Deputies emphasises the need for a nutritional pathway parallel to cancer therapies, from diagnosis to follow-up, to be integrated in the Pdta (Diagnostic Therapeutic and Treatment Pathway), of tumours, with the aim of long-term nutritional care and personalised interventions, in order to reduce complications, deaths and health costs'.

Hence the need for special attention to correct lifestyles, which are important as prevention, but also as a cure: this is why the motion, unanimously approved in the Chamber of Deputies, stresses the need for a nutritional pathway parallel to cancer therapies, from diagnosis to follow-up, to be integrated in the cancer PDTA, with the aim of long-term nutritional care and personalised interventions, in order to reduce complications, deaths, and healthcare costs. 'Our work,' Mancuso continues, 'now continues on the issues that are at the centre of our attention: improving access to genomic tests to enable the personalisation of treatment and implementing vaccination programmes in the most fragile subjects; we already have an amendment on the figure of the oncological caregiver, a nerve centre of our welfare'.

The Minister of Health, Orazio Schillaci, also attended the proceedings of the Cancer Policy Forum, during which the awards of the seventh edition of the Cancer Policy Award, the prize reserved for 'good policy' in healthcare, were presented. "The fight against cancer," he said, "has always been a priority for me and for this government: prevention, research, and support for patients and their families. These are the guidelines along which we are moving with the important contribution of Parliament and the associations. A day like this plastically represents how health is an asset to be defended together. It is a common good, the most precious one we have'.