Pelé No Longer Responds to Chemotherapy and Is under Palliative Care

Admitted last Tuesday (29) to the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Pelé, 82, is no longer responding to the chemotherapy treatment he had been undergoing since September last year when he was operated on for bowel cancer. At the beginning of the year, metastasis in the intestine, lung, and liver were diagnosed. Folha learned that the football star is under exclusive palliative care. This means that chemotherapy has been suspended and that he continues to receive comforting treatment, to relieve pain and shortness of breath, for example, without being subjected to invasive therapies.

Palliative care is indicated for all patients with progressive and potentially life-threatening diseases or conditions. The measures will depend on the symptoms, functionality, and prognosis, that is, how long the patient is expected to survive. As previously reported by ESPN, Pelé arrived at the hospital with a condition of anasarca (generalized swelling), an edemigemic syndrome (general edema), and decompensated heart failure. Folha confirmed this information.

This Friday afternoon (2), the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein released a note informing that Pelé was diagnosed with a respiratory infection, after being hospitalized on Tuesday for a reassessment of chemotherapy treatment for the colon tumor identified in September 2021. The infection is being treated with antibiotics. “The response has been adequate and the patient, who remains in a common room, is stable, with a general improvement in his health”, says the statement signed by doctors Fabio Nasri, geriatrician and endocrinologist, oncologist Rene Gansl and Miguel Cendoroglo Neto, Einstein’s medical director-superintendent. According to the note, the former player will remain hospitalized in the coming days for continued treatment.

Folha tried to contact the doctors who signed the statement, but, according to the press office, the team’s positions will only be communicated through official notes. The newspaper also tried to hear from the hospital management about suspending chemotherapy and adopting palliative care. The hospital neither confirmed nor denied the information. They only reinforced that they would stick to the content of the note released this Friday.

Kely Nascimento, daughter of the ‘King’, has minimized the severity of her father’s health condition in her social media profile. “The media is overreacting again and I want to come here and calm things down a little bit. My dad is in the hospital, regulating medication. I’m not jumping on a flight to run there. My brothers are in Brazil, visiting, and I’m going on New Year’s Eve”, she posted. “There is no surprise, no emergency”, concluded Kely, who thanked the fans for their kindness.

Pelé has been posting on his social media profiles during the World Cup. On Monday (28), at halftime between Brazil and Switzerland, with the score still 0-0, he posted on Twitter: “How are you doing after this first half? As my friend Galvão Bueno would say, Haja corazón. I believe in the victory, what about you?”

This Thursday, on his Instagram account, a text was posted in which he thanked the tribute he received in the host country of the World Cup and also reassured the fans. “Friends, I’m in the hospital doing my monthly visit. It’s always good to receive positive messages like this. Thanks to Qatar for this tribute, and to everyone who has been sending me good vibes!”

The star has been fighting bowel cancer since August 31, 2021, when he was diagnosed with a tumor in the colon (large intestine) during routine exams, which should have been done in 2020, but were postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Four days later, he underwent surgery at the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein to remove the tumor, and, during his stay, he was taken to the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) a few times, the last one on September 16.

According to the bulletin released at the time, the football star had respiratory instability. Shortly after the surgery, the three-time world champion began chemotherapy sessions. In December 2021, he was hospitalized for about 15 days for more chemotherapy sessions. On December 23, when he was discharged, he posted on social media. “As I promised you, I’m going to spend Christmas with my family. I’m coming home.” On Feb. 13, when he returned for more chemotherapy, he joked, “Hopefully there’s popcorn, so I can watch the Super Bowl soon. I’ll be watching even though my friend Tom Brady isn’t playing. Thanks for all the messages of love.”

On the occasion, the ‘King’ had to extend his stay in the hospital after doctors identified a urinary tract infection. Pelé was discharged on February 28. In addition to cancer, the athlete also suffers from the aftereffects of three surgeries performed in recent years. One for placement of the prosthesis in his hip and two others to correct it. He also feels pain in his knee, a problem that has made it difficult for him to move around.

Translated by Cassy Dias