Every year 10,000 Romanians lose their battle against bronchopulmonary cancer, but our country currently does not have a prevention plan and the disease is most often detected too late. But pulmonologists want to change that and give patients more options.
A lung screening program would be the best start. Prof. Univ. Dr. Costin Streba, of the Craiova University of Medicine and Pharmacy, spoke to GdS about the intention of the county’s pulmonologists to start such a program, which is so important for public health.
We don’t have a lung screening program
“At present, there is no globally applied unified lung screening program, only recommendations and best practice guidelines for early case identification. We have an ongoing colorectal cancer screening program at the “UMF Craiova and screening programs for viral hepatitis patients. But we all want to do something for patients with lung problems. Pulmonologists in the county are aware of the importance of running such a screening program for bronchopulmonary cancer as well. Basically, we need to go beyond the realm of patients at risk,” said Dr Streba.
To carry out such a project, pulmonologists first of all need the support of family doctors. “You need to work with them as closely as possible when talking about a screening program. You reach people through them,” explains the doctor.
Post-Covid imaging assessments have led to the detection of more cancers
The re-evaluation of the Covid patient revealed cancers that might otherwise have been detected in more advanced stages. The disease existed before, it just went undetected. Or it was not detected in time. But the pandemic has caused patients with lung problems to go to the consultation.
“It is very important to understand the need for a screening program for malignant lung diseases because unfortunately it is on the increase, especially now after the Covid. And this is because many imaging investigations have been done on patients who were suffering from Covid and wanted to self-evaluate after having passed through the disease. As part of such opportunistic imaging screening, unfortunately, the incidence of cancer also increased,” says Prof. Costin Streba.
After 45 years, we should periodically consult a pulmonologist
After 45-50 years, people should understand that it is advisable to see a pulmonologist as regularly as possible, say specialists. He may order a variety of tests, including a simple chest X-ray if you have risk factors such as pre-existing lung conditions, smoking, or working in toxic environments.
“Patients should have a free pulmonary evaluation as part of this screening program. Investigations are needed and respiratory disease should not be ignored because, unfortunately, it comes too late, and training that could be monitored is well advanced. where the therapeutic possibilities are very limited and the five-year survival is, unfortunately, very limited”, warns Dr. Streba.
75% of lung cancers diagnosed in Romania are already in an advanced stage. Lung cancer is one of the most common malignant diseases, with approximately 100,000 new cases discovered each year in our country.
