Oncology in Romagna is an innovative and virtuous management model that can be taken, for example, in other areas of our country. In the three provinces of Ravenna, Forli-Cesena and Rimini every year 8,000 new cases of cancer are recorded with high satisfaction and high levels of patient survival. The merit of this success is to be found in the excellent response that the structures already guarantee today but that a stronger link between the activities of the Tumor Institute of Romagna Irst Irccs “Dino Amadori” and the Ausl of Romagna (one of the largest of Italy) can make it grow. This is what emerged from the congress on the CCCRN (Comprehensive Cancer Care and Research Network of Romagna) which took place these days in Forlì. At the San Giacomo Auditorium in the city of Romagna, over 400 specialists from all over Italy will gather from 20 to 22 September to take stock of the state of the art in the fight against cancer.
The connection between hospital and territory
“The CCCRN aims to be the fulcrum of assistance to cancer patients in Romagna – says prof. Giovanni Martinelli, Scientific Director of IRST -. The winning idea was born from a brilliant intuition of the founder of the Romagna Institute, prof. Dino Amadori who passed away two years ago. According to him, it was necessary to create a structure that would see an IRCCS specialized in onco-hematology integrated with hospital structures and territorial care. It was a fair vision as it has been shown that thanks to a real connection between hospital and territory it is possible to guarantee better assistance to every citizen. In our three provinces for years, thanks to the Ausl Romagna and IRST, we have guaranteed cancer prevention, early screening, effective therapies, timely follow-up exams and support for patients in an advanced critical phase to all. With the CCCRN we have created common platforms to give the same opportunities to all medical specialists and researchers. Innovation and the transfer of knowledge to all health professionals are then to the advantage of patients who can thus obtain more personalized treatments and prevention strategies “.
Be inspired by patients
In the three days of Forlì ample space is dedicated to the scientific debate on the latest news in medical research. “Again thanks to the CCCRN we could further strengthen research actions; in recent years we have conducted over 250 clinical trials thus guaranteeing patients innovative treatments – he continues Martinelli -. It is an important fact, of which we are proud and which further demonstrates the excellent level of oncology in Romagna. The future of the fight against cancer will shift from integrated therapies with new drugs and the development of new therapeutic strategies. We now have a greater and deeper understanding of cancer biology that allows the identification of different prognostic and predictive biomarkers of response and the development of more targeted therapies. The goal of the near future must be to continue to draw inspiration from our patients, and from the successes already achieved, and to be able to add more and more pieces to the knowledge and treatment of cancer. The IRST IRCCS is a consolidated point of reference throughout Italy for the management of clinical research activities and we are able to attract patients even from outside our Region. We want to continue to do so through the commitment of our staff in charge of care and research, the support of volunteers, the collaboration with the professionals of the Local Health Authority of Romagna and the support of the Regional Health Service and the Ministry of Health ”.