Fifth Aragonese Conference on Humanization in Breast Cancer: speaking well to take better care of ourselves

The IIS Aragón, with the collaboration of the AECC, has organized the fifth edition of this event, with More than 300 people participated and a full program included 3 panels, keynote speeches and activities to boost engagement

In Aragon, more than 1.000 people had breast cancer during 2025. This type of cancer is the most common among women.

Therefore, in this fifth edition organized by the IIS AragónIt has been decided to address communication in the cancer process from all perspectives: patients, families, healthcare professionals, the workplace—ultimately aiming to improve care through communication.

The day began, after the initial speeches, with a role-playing exercise simulating two situations between professionals and patients, situations that may seem extreme but that, unfortunately, are experienced by both healthcare workers and patients.

The day then continued towards the dialogue tables, specifically 3 in which communication was addressed from different points of view,

• Communication between healthcare professional and patient This is a situation that is experienced daily, addressed by three healthcare professionals with different backgrounds and a patient. The discussion focused on the importance of making communication easier for patients who, often affected by the cancer process, don't understand much of what they are told.
• Patient and their environment The patient's environment (family, friends, neighbors, etc.) is an integral part of their life; however, achieving fluid and effective communication is often challenging. Led by a psychologist, different family groups explored how to communicate in both directions, from the patient to the patient.
• Communication in the workplace Cancer affects many people of working age, and in addition to potential physical complications, communication—how to communicate with the company and even the fact that communication is very important—is a significant challenge. Therefore, in this discussion, a lawyer and a social worker addressed different aspects to consider for effective communication.

The day included a keynote address by María Dolores Navarro, scientific advisor to the National Patients' Forum, entitled "Words that Humanize." In this lecture, she highlighted phrases such as "A good doctor informs you and communicates with you, hears you, but also listens to you, understands you and accompanies you," a phrase from her late husband, Albert Jovell, a doctor who worked on humanization until his death.

Finally, the story “In Plural” by Estela Bescós, a medical student, was featured, with illustrations by Mar Esteban and Arancha García. This story recounts the experience of someone beginning cancer treatment and the silences and communication challenges that arise during these difficult times.

The sessions aimed to highlight key conclusions that would bring the event to a close and allow for reflection; these conclusions were:

• Communication is part of the treatment: Technical excellence is only complete when accompanied by presence and listening.
• Active listening is about recognizing the person, not just the illness: It is the first step to accompany her.
• Communicating is creating shared space: a place to understand, express, decide and not feel alone.
• Empathy is built in every encounter: Presence and emotional validation are skills that must be consciously cultivated.
• The emotional dimension matters: Integrating the psychological and the social is a caregiving responsibility.
• Report clearly and honestly: It strengthens confidence and improves decision-making.
• How we communicate is also important: Tone, words, and silences leave a mark.
• Communication must maintain links outside the healthcare setting: Families, caregivers, and the work and social environment need tools to provide support.
• Communication between professionals also humanizes: Teams that listen to and respect each other coordinate better, to offer higher quality care.
• Principle of reciprocity: Do for others what we would like them to do for us in that situation.

This edition's poster and brochure feature an illustration by Dr. Rafael Marrón and was coordinated by Dr. Reyes Ibáñez, Dr. Beatriz Eizaguirre, Dr. Menchu ​​Casamayor, Dr. Laura Lamata, Dr. Laura Baquedano, Dr. Patricia Rubio, and Dr. Carmen García Mur.

And without the support of sponsors and collaborating entities, this event would not have been possible: AstraZeneca, Roche, Spanish Association Against Cancer, Ibercaja Foundation, Government of Aragon, Metastatic Breast Cancer AssociationAmac Gema.

Source: Spanish Association Against Cancer