Entre soins et soutien : exploration du vécu de patients dans un dispositif ambulatoire de soins de support après cancer

Supportive cancer care plays a central role in the management of patients with cancer but its development in community settings remains limited. The ambulatory program in Montreuil, based in a municipal health center, offers local services focused on the needs of patients and their caregivers. This study examines the extend to which this program improves their quality of life and meets their specific needs, by exploring the human and subjective dimensions of care that are essential for enhancing its relevance and impact. To do so, a qualitative study was conducted with fifteen adults through semi-structured interviews. All of them had received supportive care in Montreuil. The program is widely perceived as legitimate and beneficial due to its human qualities, the diversity of services offered, and the availability of group spaces, but these strengths are undermined by recurrent organizational shortcomings, such as the lack of structured followup and poor coordination between community services and the hospital. Local supportive care emerges as a key factor for post cancer recovery, as long as they are embedded in a clear, continuous and coordinated care pathway. This study highlights the need to strengthen early referral, the structuring of follow-up, and the links between communitybased services, hospitals, and patient associations, so that programs like the one in Montreuil can fully play their role in improving patients’ quality of life.