Annual Report 2023
Life Support Center
Tatsuya Onishi, Toru Mukohara, Miki Kondo, Hiroshi Tabe, Takuya Higashino, Asao Ogawa, Masaki Nakamura, Ako Hosono, Keiko Kamoshita, Yongmei Guo, Saori Mishima, Natsumi Oda, Masato Yonemura, Ken Kuwata, Hatoe Sakamoto, Junya Ueno, Tsukasa Ito, Hideyuki Yoshizumi, Kaori Kimura
Introduction
LIFE Support Center believes that it is important for all cancer patients and their supporters to be able to receive cancer treatment with peace of mind. Based on the background, problems and wishes of the cancer patient, LIFE Support Center provides support so that the patient can receive medical services not only from the relevant department, but also from related departments and staff in other departments within the hospital.
The Team and What We Do
The main areas of focus are fertility counseling and preservation support, support for young cancer patients including children and AYA-generation patients, appearance counseling and support, and activities for LGBTQ patients.
We have set up a staff member in charge of the AYA Outpatient Nursing Service for AYA-generation cancer patients, and we work to understand the characteristics and problems of each patient's disease and background through interviews and questionnaires, and in cooperation with related departments, we consider and respond to the need for the above-mentioned counseling and support. In many cases, the content of the consultation requires the cooperation of several departments and sections, so in order to strengthen the cooperation between each section, the staff in charge and the staff in charge of the AYA Outpatient Nursing Service hold regular multi-professional conferences to discuss the responses and cooperation, and provide feedback to the clinical practice.
1. Fertility counseling and preservation
By establishing an internal flow for fertility preservation and collaborating with external institutions, we have established a system for handling fertility preservation for cancer patients and continued to provide fertility interventions. In the AYA Outpatient Nursing Service, there were 169 cases of fertility preservation support in 2023, and 25 cases of collaboration with reproductive institutions (9 males, 16 females).
2. Support for young cancer patients, including children and AYA generation patients
AYA Cafe was launched in February 2024 as a peer support for AYA generation cancer patients to interact with each other.
3. Social Support and Appearance Counseling and Support
Appearance care training was conducted in cooperation with the Appearance Support Center in the National Cancer Center Hospital.
4. Genetic counseling
We explored the implementation of risk-reducing surgery for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome (HBOC) and performed risk-reducing surgery for eligible patients in the departments of breast surgery and gynecology.
5. Provided consultation, assessment and support for rehabilitation needs, including lymphedema.
6. Consultation regarding side effects of drug therapy, etc.: We respond to inquiries regarding the effects of drugs on fertility and collect information to provide feedback to clinical practice.
Education
1. We continued to refer cancer patients to external reproductive medicine facilities by establishing a fertility preservation system within the hospital.
2. From FY2022, we continued to provide surveillance and risk-reducing surgery for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome (HBOC) based on our implementation system.
3. From FY2022, the LGBT WG organized issues related to LGBTQ cancer patients within the hospital. Study sessions on LGBTQ were held with an external lecturer. The contents of the study sessions are posted on the educational curriculum management system and can be viewed.
Future Prospects
The LIFE Support Center will provide support for all cancer patients, regardless of gender, with a focus on fertility counseling for the AYA generation, as well as appearance counseling and support, lymphedema, and LGBT.