LIFE WITH MELANOMA OF THE SKIN

Rad obrađuje problematiku holističkog pristupa životu bolesnika koji su oboljeli od melanoma kože. Vezano za cijelu problematiku, u radu se raspravlja o nekim njezinim najvažnijim aspektima poput melanoma općenito, njegove dijagnostike, tretiranja i terapije, problema bolesnika s melanomom koji uključuju nuspojave, emocionalne i psihičke probleme, holističkog pristupa općenito, te holističkog pristupa u kontekstu života s melanomom kože. Rad također naglašava da dob nije presudna kod nastanka melanoma, te pobija neke od dobro poznatih mitova, poput onih da su za nastanak melanoma odgovorne ozljede madeža na koži što je dokazano da nije istina. Rad također sagledava problematiku pristupa melanomu iz perspektive javnozdravstvenog problema, tj. bolesnika se ne može gledati u određenom kontekstu, nego kao individualca kod kojeg bolest ima specifične karakteristike. Osnovna postavka koju rad naglašava je da se kroz holistički pristup ne tretira bolest, tj. melanom, nego se tretira potpuna persona bolesnika, kako u fizičkom, tako i u emocionalnom i psihičkom smislu. U skladu s time, bitna je edukacija sviju koji sudjeluju u procesu tretiranja – kako pacijenta, tako i zdravstvenog osoblja u cilju pružanja najbolje moguće njege. Rad razjašnjava kako holistički pristup u tretiranju melanoma djeluje u praksi i ispituje do sada istražene teorije u cilju davanja doprinosa već postojećim materijalima na ovu tematiku. Na kraju rada se daju najvažniji zaključci.This paper discusses the problem of holistic approach to the life of the skin melanoma patients. Regarding the whole problem, the paper also discusses some of the most important aspects like melanoma in general, its diagnosis, treatment and therapy, skin melanoma patients problems like side effects, emotional and psychological problems, holistic approach in general, and the holistic approach in the context of life with skin melanoma. The paper also emphasizes that the age isn't crucial for developing skin melanoma, and also rejects some of the myths well- known, like those that for developing skin melanoma are responsible the injuries of marks on the skin which is confirmed false. The paper also examines the problems of the approach to the melanoma from the public health perspective, or in other words, the patient can't be observed in a certain context, but as an individual with the specific characteristics of the illness. The main fact the paper emphasizes is that through the holistic approach the illness (skin melanoma) isn't treated, but the complete persona of the patient, in physical, emotional and psychological sense. According to the mentioned, the education of all those included in this process is very important – from the patient to the medical staff to give the best possible care to the patient. The paper clarifies how holistic approach in the treatment of melanoma works in actual medical practice and examines the existing theories to give the contribution to the already published materials relevant for this problem. At the end of the paper, the most important conclusions are presented