Screening for cancer saves lives
- 10.09.2012 06:58
- 846
- 2 minute(s)
-
In the last one year and a half, a program has been in place to screen women for cervical and breast cancer. This year, screening for prostate cancer will be introduced, followed by screening for colorectal cancer next year.
Oncological Institute director Victor Cernat told Info-Prim Neo that the screening for cervical and breast cancer is implemented by the National Health Insurance Company, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and the Oncological Institute. In six districts, the campaign is already underway and women undergo the Papanicolau test and mammography.
“It is a preventive campaign meant to detect easy traceable diseases in healthy population. Screening is done in the whole world and now we have also implemented it. The initiative isn’t the result of a rise in the number of people affected by the disease, but it’s meant to detect cancer in its early stages”, said Victor Cernat. Sometimes, routine examinations reveal that unsuspecting women have cervical cancer.
Currently, over 45,000 cancer patients are registered in Moldova with various malignant diseases. Yearly, 8000 new patients are registered and 5,500 die. The treatment of cancer diseases is covered by the medical insurance, which means that insured people don’t have to pay any fees when they see a doctor.
