Melanoma patient pathway at NIO Warsaw
In May, for the second time with the camera of the programme "Po pierwsze Pacjent", we went to the National Cancer Institute to see what the path of a patient diagnosed with advanced melanoma looks like. This time, we visited the largest oncology hospital in Poland - the National Institute of Oncology in Warsaw, and our guide at the Institute was Professor Piotr Rutkowski, head of the Department of Soft Tissue, Bone and Melanoma Tumours at the NIO Warsaw.
What would happen if you found out you had cancer? Probably most of us don't ask ourselves this question, because no one wants to face such a difficult life scenario. However, the fact is that every year, the doctor's words: "You are suffering from cancer" are heard by as many as 170,000 Poles.
Are they ready for it? Probably not, but it is at this point that they have to face the disease and its consequences. Getting cancer is not just about dealing with pain, reduced function and the harsh effects of treatment, getting cancer is also about going through the patient pathway in the healthcare system. It's about getting to the right doctor, it's about a series of diagnostic tests, it's about choosing the right centre, it's about choosing a treatment method, it's about responding to the side effects of treatment, it's about proper nutrition, it's about seeking treatment options in clinical trials, it's about sometimes giving up work, it's about seeking social support, it's about many difficult decisions about our health and life, but also the lives of our loved ones.
When you hear the diagnosis: cancer, most will ask: how long will I live? And this is, of course, a legitimate question, but it is also worth asking: what will my life with the disease look like, what can I do to better prepare myself for treatment, to have a chance of being cured of cancer?
There are few places to find the answer to this question, so we have prepared a report showing the path of a patient with advanced melanoma. So that the patient who is at the beginning of their journey knows what awaits them in the next steps of diagnosis and treatment. You will learn about the diagnosis of melanoma, what happens to the specimen when it reaches the laboratory, which specialists treat melanoma patients and which modern therapies can be given to patients with advanced cancer.
In Poland, more than 4 000 new cases of melanoma are diagnosed annually. However, it should be emphasised that cancer detected at an early stage is usually completely curable, which is why it is so important to remember to regularly check nevi appearing on the surface of the skin.
Unfortunately, some patients who are diagnosed with a malignant tumour such as melanoma require additional treatment, be it complementary therapy or systemic therapy. For patients with advanced cancer, only a few years ago, the medical world had little to offer; today, doctors have many reimbursable, modern therapies at their disposal, and treatment is tailor-made and individually tailored to the patient's needs.
The path of a melanoma patient usually begins in the office of a dermatologist or surgical oncologist. It is these specialists who deal with the 'removal of nevi'. In fact, the doctor "removing the nevus" performs a so-called excisional biopsy on the patient. This involves the complete excision of the suspicious lesion and then submitting it for histopathological examination. The material is then placed in the hands of a pathomorphologist, who performs an examination to determine whether melanoma cells are present in the material. Remember that not every skin cancer necessarily turns out to be melanoma. There are many other common skin cancers that are particularly common in people exposed to excessive sunlight.
In our report, we take a look at the Pathomorphology Department and then the Genetic Diagnosis Department and find out what exactly happens during such tests. A doctor tells us about the most common genetic mutations found in melanoma cells and shows us what the laboratory, which is not normally accessible to patients, looks like and what ultra-modern equipment helps specialists make a definitive diagnosis.
Once the patient has received a comprehensive diagnosis, a decision is made on further treatment. At the multispeciality consilium, doctors from different specialities, but also the patient and the coordinator, meet to determine the best treatment path for the patient. You can find out what treatment the patient may receive, what the administration of the drugs looks like and who looks after the patients at the National Cancer Institute by watching our report, which was produced in collaboration with experts, so you can be sure that you are getting your information from a reliable and verified source.
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