Cancer cases are growing, Pordenone first for prevention: the alarm for the staff

We are not fully operational yet, it will probably take another year, but since the Covid pandemic ended, regional screening for the preventive fight against three invasive and particularly lethal types of cancer if not caught in time has reached almost the pre-Covid numbers. Not only. The province of Pordenone and immediately behind that of Udine are those in which prevention and therefore screening are taking root the most in the area. It must also be said that the Asfo and Asufc Services tried to hurry as much as possible to get a car back on track that the pandemic had ruined.

THE NUMBERS

There are three screenings that the region is carrying out: the search for occult blood in the feces which is in fact the first alarm for a possible colon cancer. Of all the screenings, it is the one that has the lowest percentage of implementation in the area, although it is rising and exceeds 54 percent in the province of Pordenone, while it settles at 52 in the province of Udine. The goal for the current year, even if it will not be easy, is to reach at least 60 percent. The other two free screenings are linked to oncological pathologies in women. Early diagnosis, moreover, has proven to be the most effective prevention tool and for this reason the recommendation for women between 45 and 69 is to have a mammogram every two years for breast cancer, and for women between 25 and 64 years of age to have a test varied according to age (pap test every 3 years for the 25-29 age group / HPV test every 5 years) for cervical cancer. Mammography reaches around 60 percent of attendance when screening is sent, however, it drops to 56 percent for the Pap test. The data from Friuli Venezia Giulia are in line with the national ones, perhaps slightly higher, but the fact remains that especially for colon cancer the numbers are rising and therefore the exam every two years becomes one of the most important weapons for searching to prevent it or at least catch it when it is still in its early stages.

THE STANDARDS

The Covid 19 health emergency had emphasized the weakness of the architecture of the organizational structure and of the system for regulating the interdependencies between the different actors of the service network, involved in the different levels and different dimensions of taking charge: this had been the heart of the structural problem of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Health Service, according to an analysis, which does not mince words, contained in the Regional Health Management Guidelines. Naturally, the main way out of this condition is on the one hand the strengthening of the hospital network only for full-blown emergencies and on the other the efficiency of local assistance. The Region’s objectives have remained the same as those established by the 2021 Guidelines, i.e. providing for the expansion of breast cancer screening to the age group between 45 and 49 years.

THE OBJECTIVES

The objective set is 60% of the “target” of women to be tested for the cervix and 64% for the breast. Another problem that arose with the lack of staff was the fact that not all health authorities were able to maintain the timetables set out in the planning document. As for the colorectal test, the minimum objective was set by the Management Guidelines at 60% of the population – objective and has almost been achieved. For breast and cervical screening, if the woman is busy on the date proposed for the exam, she can reschedule the appointment with a simple phone call. In the case of the colorectal it is even simpler because it is possible to do the test independently by picking up the appropriate kit at the pharmacy. If due to a misunderstanding you are not contacted within the expected time frame, it is still possible to book the exam by calling the healthcare company to which you belong directly. Free exams and no doctor’s referral is needed.

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