IN Umbria, the treatment path for women with breast cancer is guaranteed and patients do not feel the need to travel outside the region. To say this are the data of the survey conducted by APS SenoNetwork Italia on health migration in Italy. In fact, just 9% of Umbrian women choose to be treated in another region, against the Italian average of 20%. And according to the 10 associations that make up Europa Donna-Umbria, this figure can improve further, addressing the problems that have emerged in the various working groups that have taken place over the last year. Among these, the importance of facilitating the return of associations within the 4 breast care centers, to fully support women who face the disease. The associations presented their requests to the regional institutions, in particular to the President of the Umbria Region Donatella Tesei, the Councilor for Health Luca Coletto and the President of the III Council Committee on Health and Social Services of the Umbria Region, Eleonora Pace.
“The stage in Perugia is significant because the Breast Units of the region represent a fine example of places of care according to European standards for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer”, says Rosanna d’Antona, President of Europe Donna Italia: “But it is It was also an opportunity to strengthen the institutional relationship with local associations. The open and constructive dialogue has made it possible to highlight the areas for improvement expected by the more than 4,000 patients represented “. In particular, the direct participation of a delegate of the association in the working tables of the regional commissions, the construction of a breast network and the periodic monitoring of the perception of the quality of services, in order to further reduce health migration. “A path of sharing is necessary with voluntary associations, which are an essential element in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer”, says Donatella Tesei, President of the Umbria Region: “The activities they carry out on the territory are of primary importance, also for the implementation of information campaigns, necessary to sensitize women on the importance of breast checks. I also find it essential to shift attention also to young women to identify those who have a BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genetic mutation and lead them on dedicated paths “. Unfortunately, the pandemic has produced a slowdown in some practices. “But – added Councilor Coletto – the drafting and approval process of the regional PDTA is in the final stage, which will be applied in the Region’s Breast Units”.
Among the other objectives of Europa Donna-Umbria is to improve the access lists to services dedicated to breast care, through an enhancement of dedicated professionals with a particular reference to radiologists, and a review of inadequate technology, in order to replace the obsolete equipment. “To facilitate adherence to the screening program, the Region purchased an equipped mobile unit, which proved useful in particular during the pandemic, because it allowed us a lower negative impact than other regions, as regards the accumulation of delays “, underlines Luca Coletto, Councilor for Health and Social Policies of the Umbria Region:” We also have a latest generation mammography system available and the Region is investing in this area, as well as in the purchase of innovative diagnostic equipment with minimal impact of radiation, to be used in selected cases “.
Another request concerns the reorganization of services, in order to avoid the movement of women. In some areas – they argue, also on the basis of the reports received – the process of requesting diagnostic investigations in the case of positive breast screening should be organized in a different way. And again: the establishment of paths dedicated to metastatic breast cancer, a specific surveillance and treatment path for women at high risk for family history or genetic predisposition to cancer with D99 exemption and a free diagnostic surveillance path for patients who instead concluded the follow up. Last, but not least, the need to improve access to genomic tests, now difficult, useful for identifying patients who are candidates for chemotherapy after surgery, in the case of breast cancer with positive hormone receptors and negative lymph nodes.