For patients with breast cancer two months ago came the implementing decree of the Ministry of Health which provides for reimbursement throughout Italy. Except in Piedmont, Veneto, Molise, Puglia and Calabria due to bureaucratic delays
More than two months after the implementation decree of the Ministry of Health, relating to the national fund of 20 million euros, still a part of breast cancer patients do not have free access to genomic tests that are used to choose the most appropriate treatment for each individual case. . In some regions, women who need these exams cannot use them unless they pay for them personally. In fact, the 60 days within which the Regions and Autonomous Provinces must implement the decree of the central government and issue ad hoc provisions have expired. Five regions are still missing: Piedmont, Veneto, Molise, Puglia and Calabria. The complaint comes from representatives of medical oncologists and patients at the annual meeting of the European Society for Medical Oncology.
Why are these tests needed
These are tests necessary in patients with a tumor to be able to use, among the various effective drugs, the one that against the specific neoplasm of a specific person is most likely to be successful because it is a therapy aimed at unhinging the very genetic mutations that caused it and that make it progress. In some types of breast cancer patients, then, genomic tests make it possible to predict the risk of relapse and, therefore, to exclude chemotherapy in addition to hormone therapy after surgery, avoiding unnecessary toxicity. There is no more time to waste and as soon as possible, throughout Italy, genomic tests for patients with breast cancer eligible for examination must be reimbursable and free of charge – underlines Saverio Cinieri, elected president of the Italian Association of Medical Oncology (Aiom) -. Bureaucratic-administrative delays are accumulating and therefore our health system is not yet able to guarantee the same opportunities to all citizens. It takes very little, at the level of individual regional practices, to be able to access the fund of 20 million euros, established in December 2020 with an amendment by the Budget Commission of the Chamber of Deputies to the Budget Law 2021. We therefore ask that the missing Regions take action as soon as possible to take advantage of the resources and medical oncologists to prescribe them when necessary to protect patients.
Useful in women with early stage cancer
For the patient to receive precision treatment, an accurate diagnosis is required a definition of the molecular profile of the disease with specific tests able to support the oncologist in the personalization of therapies in some types of patients with early stage breast cancer. They are extremely effective tests that can avoid the use of unnecessary chemotherapy – he continues Francesco Cognetti, president of the Together Against Cancer Foundation -. They cannot be administered to all patients, but only to those considered intermediate risk and with early stage cancer. They can be estimated in about 10 thousand cases a year out of a total of almost 55 thousand new diagnoses registered in Italy. In particular, Oncotype DX has shown, in a recent study, to reduce the use of chemotherapy drugs in the post-operative phase by a third. The implementing decree of the Ministry of Health arrived also taking into account the fact that these exams are recommended by international guidelines because they have evident clinical benefits, improve the quality of life of women and allow substantial savings for the health system.
A campaign to inform patients
Free access to certain health services must be guaranteed in all regions to avoid being faced with patients of series A and others of series B – he continues Rosanna D’Antona, president of Europa Donna Italia -. Our network of associations has been engaged throughout 2021 in promoting awareness-raising campaigns and initiatives towards local and national institutions. Genomic testing is an important resource e they can prevent women from chemotherapy treatments that have very severe side effects. The savings obtained from the non-administration of chemotherapy drugs should not be forgotten. Europa Donna Italia has promoted a specific campaign on its website. To denounce the inequities of access and allocation of the fund, we are monitoring the situation of the resolutions day by day. We also ask medical oncologists to use genomic testing in daily clinical practice, where permitted.
September 21, 2021 (change September 21, 2021 | 18:02)
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