Abstract

ICART-ISERN, M.T. et al. Cancer in the movies: A resource for health professionals. Educ. méd. [online]. 2009, vol.12, n.4, pp.239-246. ISSN 1575-1813.

Aim: To describe the characteristics of the patients and the cancer process, through a sample of films available in DVD. Materials and methods: Cross-sectional descriptive study. A sample of convenience of films was analyzed in which the cancer had "prompt", "relevant" or "plot" character. Each film was viewed by two observers who recorded patient variables (age, sex, marital status, etc.), the cancer process (symptoms, diagnostic tests, treatments and evolution) and the health care environment, among others. Results: 33 films produced by 11 countries (1939-2008) were analyzed. 58% of patients were male and 47% belonged to the upper and upper middle social classes. The most common site for the cancer was the brain and blood, with six cases in each location. The symptoms average was 3.63 per film; the general symptoms (pain, fatigue, anorexia, etc.) were considered in 43.32% of the films. Diagnostic tests were mentioned in 85% of movies. The most frequent treatment was chemotherapy and analgesia, however death hits 19 (58%) of the patients. Doctors and nurses turn up in 28 and 22 films titles respectively. Conclusions: The cancer showed by films is different from reality: movies prefer younger patients, higher social class and the most photogenic cancer´s locations. The symptoms, diagnostic tests and treatments tend to reflect reality, especially in "plot" movies produced in the last decades. Some of those films may be a first hand resource for training health professionals.

Keywords : Cancer; Cancer process; Diagnostic; Films; Treatments.

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