WHEN early diagnosis fails, the tumor advances. In the literal sense of the word. And the data turns into alarm: due to the pandemic, it is estimated that at least 3,500 breast cancers are not detected between January 2020 and May 2021. This undeclared one has yet to be discovered or has been diagnosed late. What is known is: the failure to send over one million invitations for mammography screening (-20%) and over 816 thousand fewer mammography exams performed (-28%) compared to the same months in 2019. The real numbers are probably more worrying, because those linked to spontaneous prevention must also be added. “These are those women who on their own initiative undergo mammograms outside the screening programs organized by the Regions”, explains Adriana Bonifacino, oncologist and President of IncontraDonna Onlus: “Already in the pre-Covid era, through the screening programs we identified little less than 10 thousand cases out of the more than 55 thousand that are registered in Italy every year. In the last two years, again due to the coronavirus, many spontaneous prevention investigations have not been carried out. And this could further increase the severe diagnostic delays ”.
Quiz: can you recognize the symptoms of breast cancer?
by Tiziana Moriconi
The online meeting
The topic will be at the center of the meeting organized by IncontraDonna Onlus, “Cancer screening and pandemic: delays in cancer diagnosis”, which takes place tomorrow 8 April (it is possible to follow it in live streaming on IncontraDonna’s Facebook and Youtube channels, from 17). The event is part of the third edition of the “Pink Ring” project and sees the comparison (online and in person) of clinicians, institutions, patients and associations. The representatives of GISCoR-Italian Colorectal Cancer Screening Group, GISCi-Italian Group Screening of Cervicocarcinoma and GISMa-Italian Mammographic Screening Group will also participate in tomorrow’s meeting, who will explain the strategies already implemented to recover the accumulated delays.
Breast cancer screening with mammography always works
by Tina Simoniello
Delays for cervical and colorectal cancers
The difficulties, in fact, are not found only for breast cancer: the fewer invitations to participate in screening for the cervix exceed one million and 500 thousand, while the tests not performed are over 780 thousand (-35%) compared to 2019. This translates into an accumulated delay of 6 months and an estimated more than 3,500 unidentified cervical cancers. Similarly, there is a reduction of more than 2 million invitations for colorectal screenings. The exams not carried out exceed one million and 200 thousand (-34%) and the accumulated delays amount to 5 months. This means more than 1,300 estimated cases of undetected colorectal neoplasms, in addition to the 7,700 possible unidentified advanced adenomas.
Breast cancer, so artificial intelligence will improve diagnoses
by Tiziana Moriconi
Recover, thanks to local medicine
“In our opinion, it is necessary to proceed with the fortification of the medicine of the territory to which the management of the screening is delegated”, continues Bonifacino: “Already in 2020, 500 million euros had been given by Minister Speranza for this sector and now a large part of the PNRR is based on investments in local medicine and therefore also in the local health authorities. But an important awareness campaign is needed, to urge women and men to undergo examinations and not to lose confidence in screening as a model of public health “.
Sicily, prevention “goes” to women. By camper
by Barbara Orrico
The problem of non-compliance with screening exists above all for some situations, where participation was already low before the pandemic. According to Bonifacino, the pandemic has amplified this phenomenon, due to the lack of information addressed to the target population. “Mammography screening alone reduced mortality from one of the most widespread and frequent cancers in the world by 30%. Fake news, underestimation of the risk of cancer, delays or organizational-bureaucratic problems do not favor participation in exams that determine undoubted benefits. The time has therefore come to relaunch and implement cancer prevention throughout the Peninsula. In increasing the levels of awareness – he concludes – an important role can be played by the patient associations present in the various territories “.