In an alarming report, Romania registers cancer mortality rates higher than the European Union average, said the representatives of the Federation of Associations of Cancer Patients (FABC).
Cancer is Romania’s second leading cause of death after cardiovascular diseases, representing 19% of all deaths.
Leader of the National Liberal Party Nicolae Ciuca mentioned that there have been „a number of undue delays” in the implementation of the National Cancer Prevention and Control Plan, expressing the hope that these will be overcome this year.
He says that 2024’s budget for the health ministry is 40% greater than it was last year, and that this should mean that the prevention program will be implemented in 2024.
Breast cancer remains the most common cause of morbidity and mortality by cancer in females worldwide, even though it is largely preventable through population screening. Despite notable progress in the last years in the EU, breast cancer screening programs still maintain wide variations among countries and socio‑economic groups, Spandidos points out.
Researchers found a higher increase of breast cancer deaths in Romania, an increasing trend of mortality (opposite to EU) and a contribution to life expectancy at birth that increased gradually from 0.45 to 0 48 years. All these health gaps compared to EU are aggravated by the fact that no population screening for breast cancer is organized in the country.
I was surprised to find that in Cluj-Napoca, arguably Romania’s most developed city and its most important medical hub after Bucharest, a first breast exam is something that can be obtained through relatively cryptic means – upon request, the name of one of the few senologists in the city.
There are, however, periodic campaigns advertised on social media and throughout town offering certain age groups free pap smears and HPV testing.
The HPV vaccine is now available in Romania, free of charge – though the waiting time is significant.
Screening for bowel and colon cancer is less advertised, as is screening for skin cancer. Some malignancies have very few technologies available for screening, and so the major method for decreasing cancer incidence is primary avoidance through dietary and environmental changes.
