[How Should Health Professionals Relate to People Who Work while Undergoing Cancer Treatment]

Cancer has been the leading cause of death in Japan since 1981, and its image as a disease that equals death is deeprooted. People who work while undergoing cancer treatment are required, as well as accepting for themselves the difficulties of the disease and treatment, to communicate a correct understanding of the disease within their own communities.In Japan, the second phase of the Basic Plan to Promote Cancer Control Programs, which came into effect in 2012, has led to the establishment of a system centered on human support and the actual provision of job assistance.However, there are few support methods that have proven benefits in preventing people leaving work, and this is a matter for future investigation. Moreover, what is required of the medical institutions in the position of providing cancer treatment is close support that adapts to each patient's needs at each time period.There should be a circle of support formed by cooperation between multiple occupations and organizations, sharing information with offices in the objective of preventing people leaving work.It should be remembered that these kinds of employment support can ultimately improve patients'adherence to treatment, remove mental distress, and lead to improvements in quality of life(QOL)and prognosis.