Breast cancer: one in eight women at risk, but only one in two does mammography screening

One in eight women is at risk of contracting breast cancer, which is why it is crucial to carry out prevention in order to arrive at an early diagnosis for this type of neoplasm, which can then be managed and treated. Yet faced with these numbers, only half of women decide to adhere to mammography screening, which is offered free of charge by the National Health Service. This is why the National Association of Breast Operated Women (Andos onlus Nazionale) and the more than 18,500 pharmacies associated with Federfarma are jointly promoting the national campaign "Cancer Screening: 5 good reasons to do prevention". The pharmacies, widely present throughout the country, will be committed to raising awareness among citizens, especially women, to participate in secondary cancer prevention programmes. The initiative's claim is 'Public cancer screening is free, accessible, close, safe, quality. Need more reasons to join? Ask your pharmacist'.

According to the latest available data, only 53% of women (aged 50-69) undergo mammography for early detection of breast cancer. The risk of falling ill with this neoplasm is very high: it is estimated to affect one in eight women. In colorectal cancer, too, several scientific studies have shown a strong link between diagnostic delay and poorer prognosis. Cervical cancer, on the other hand, could be totally eradicated through screening (and HPV vaccinations). Hence the need to provide citizens with correct indications on the importance of the examinations and how to take part in them through the network of pharmacies which, together with doctors, are the health service closest to the population. Thanks to the Memorandum of Understanding signed in Rome, an awareness-raising campaign will start in pharmacies in the coming weeks, where citizens will be able to find information material and ask for guidance on how to access the screening offered free of charge by public health facilities, in some cases through the pharmacies themselves, as in the case of colorectal cancer screening.

'Adhesion rates to the three free screening programmes in all regions of Italy are still unsatisfactory,' emphasises Flori Degrassi, National President of Andos. 'There have been improvements in recent years, especially in some regions where access figures were very low. However, a campaign is needed to entice more and more women and men to undergo examinations that have no contraindications. On the contrary, there are three potentially life-saving tests (breast, colorectal and cervix) that have been shown in numerous studies to drastically reduce cancer mortality. The best weapon for defending and protecting public health is an accurate early diagnosis such as that offered by the prevention programmes organised and offered by the local health authorities'. Andos represents patients who have had to face the difficulties of breast cancer and related surgery. "We know the benefits of secondary prevention in terms of increased survival rates and chances of recovery. It is our duty,' the president emphasises, 'to promote a new culture of cancer prevention and to do this we have decided on a strategic alliance with pharmacies. Pharmacists are, in fact, the health and wellness professionals most widely present throughout the country. Pharmacies represent proximity health centres that citizens trust and to which they often go for various and different health problems. And the level of trust has grown a lot since the difficult Covid-19 years. Moreover, they are also the place where we can reach the most vulnerable women such as, for example, those of foreign origin'.

"Federfarma has welcomed with conviction the proposal of collaboration from the national Andos onlus as prevention and screening activities are fully among those carried out on a daily basis within the service pharmacy," says Marco Cossolo, President of the national Federfarma. "The synergy with patient associations - as well as with general practitioners and specialists - is fundamental for building a solid network of health protection on the territory, capable not only of treating but also of prevention and promoting a greater awareness of the importance of adhering to the screening offered to citizens by the National Health Service". "The recent Simplification Law has also recognised and expanded the role of pharmacies in the field of testing and screening," adds the Federfarma president, "so that the population can more easily access a wide range of services. Pharmacies are therefore confirmed as proximity health garrisons committed to guaranteeing equal access to NHS services throughout the country to protect public health".