Art therapy of cancer patients in the context of the COVID 19 pandemic and war in Ukraine

Abstract

After the diagnosis is made, a cancer patient goes through a long period of acceptance and awareness, which certainly leaves an imprint on his psycho-emotional state. And the emergence of another unexpected negative factor, like war and the COVID19 pandemic, multiplies the degree of depression, panic, despair, denial of the fact of the disease, and sometimes refusal of treatment. Goal and tasks. To assess the effectiveness of art therapy in complex antitumor treatment in patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2-negative hormone-dependent breast cancer (HRCC), stimulation of patients' skills for unlimited creativity, an emotional outburst of negative energy. Materials and methods. 25 patients with thyroid cancer: 17 (68%) – metastatic cancer (of which, damage to the bones of the skeleton - 13 (76.4%), lungs – 4 (23.5%), orbit – 1 (5.9%), liver – 1 (5.9%), ovaries – 2 (11.8%), peritoneal carcinomatosis – 3 (17.6%), ascites – 2 (11.8%). 8 (32%) patients have locally advanced cancer The patients studied the effectiveness of anticancer therapy: letrozole 2.5 mg per day daily + palbociclib 125 mg per day from 1 to 21 days daily against the background of art therapy (pictures "by numbers"). Patients independently chose drawings, colors, images, canvas sizes, and timeframes for completing the work, as well as pronounced their choice. Results. Complex antitumor treatment (letrozole + palbociclib) against the background of art therapy made it possible to achieve an objective effect in 21 patients (2 (9.5%) – CR, 12 (57.1%) – PR, 7 (33.3%) - SD), progression of the process – 4 (16%). 14 patients chose flower drawings (56%), 4 – landscapes (16%), 3 - animals (12%) and 4 – other (16%). The majority of patients (60%) chose a drawing in dark colors as their first work, and the subsequent ones were done with bright colors, which indicates an improvement in the psycho-emotional status, quality of life of patients against the background of art therapy and was associated with the disappearance of despondency and uncontrollable fear.