For a long time, cancer was perceived as a purely medical battle. But caring for a person also means listening to their fear, understanding their fatigue, surrounding their loneliness and anxiety. Supportive care therefore redefines this vision of care and places humans at the center of the therapeutic journey. In Morocco, where this approach still remains too discreet, the Dar Zhor association has made it a central axis of modern oncology and presented the results of an unprecedented study on their impact during a conference.
In her opening remarks, the President of the association, Dr Myriam Nciri, stressed that “Supportive cancer care is now an essential pillar of overall patient care. She recalled that no such rigorous psychosocial study had yet been carried out in Morocco and that it was crucial to show that, in our national context and thanks to Moroccan teams, this care produces the same beneficial effects as elsewhere in the world.
According to AFSOS: “Supportive care refers to the prevention and management of the adverse effects of cancer and its treatments, from diagnosis to remission and post-therapeutic follow-up”.
Scientific evaluation of 164 patients in Dar Zhor
In this dynamic, an unprecedented breakthrough has seen the light of day in Morocco. For the first time, an independent scientific evaluation has measured the real impact of a supportive care pathway on the quality of life of cancer patients. Led by Professor Wassila Benkirane, sociologist at the University of Fez, this study followed 164 patients supported at the Dar Zhor association between June 2024 and March 2025. Thanks to an approach that is both quantitative and qualitative, validated by an ethics committee and recognized internationally, it opens the way to a new understanding of the role of supportive care.
Presented at the MASCC (Washington) and ASCO (Chicago) international congresses in 2025, and published in two leading scientific journals, JCO Oncology Practice and Supportive Care in Cancer, this study marks a major milestone for Moroccan research. It recognizes the excellence of the Dar Zhor model and gives it deserved international recognition.
Effective supportive care for 97% of patients
The evaluation delivered particularly telling results. On a psychological level, almost two thirds of patients (68%) report a very positive impact. They describe a clear reduction in anxiety and depression, better acceptance of the illness and a greater sense of control over treatments. These effects demonstrate a major psychological benefit.
On a physical level, 73% of patients notice real relief. They gain energy, sleep better and feel less pain, thanks to complementary approaches such as relaxation, sophrology, hypnosis or meditation. These advances support their functional autonomy and effectively complement medical care without replacing it.
Regarding family and social relationships, ties with close family and spouse remained stable, already very solid before the study. On the other hand, 43% of beneficiaries report an improvement in their social relationships, particularly through friendships and the feeling of belonging to a community. For 27%, relationships remained unchanged, especially with distant family and neighbors.
Towards more equitable medicine through supportive care
This study confirms that supportive care is not a luxury, but a medical and human necessity which responds to a major public health need not yet covered by Compulsory Health Insurance (AMO).
Dar Zhor thus campaigns for their official recognition in public policies and their integration into the teaching of Moroccan medical faculties. The association also calls on institutions, businesses, universities and the media to mobilize so that supportive care becomes a right accessible to all. Fully integrating them into the care pathway means preserving dignity, reducing inequalities and supporting healing in all its dimensions.
