Update on Romania’s position in the context of European Union’s recommendations on genital and breast cancer screening
R.E. Bohîlțea, F. Furtunescu, C. Grigoriu, M. Mitran, I. Ducu, B.M. Mihai, C. Berceanu
Rezumat: On the 2nd of December 2003, in the Official Journal
of the European Union it was published the “Council
Recommendation on cancer screening” which had issued
recommendations, setting out principles of best practice
in the early detection of cancer. The recommendations
called on all EU countries to take a common action to
implement national, population-based screening programs
for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer, as an
integral part of the Community Agreement duties in order
to complete the national policies, with the aim to improve
the public health. A first report, published in 2008, showed
that, despite the documented progress, the member states had fallen short of the established target set for the minimum number of examinations by more than 50%. The second report, consisting in the European Council’s recommendations implementation concerning cancer screening, was elaborated and published in
2017, with the attendance of 28 member states. In a subsequent report regarding the European Council’s recommendations implementation status, Romania appears in the minority of
EU member states that do not have yet organized population-
screening programs for breast cancer and colorectal
cancer. In 2020, Romania declared a 0.2% coverage rate of
breast examination, an inviting rate of 0.2%, and an 82%
participation rate for breast cancer screening. Regarding
cervical cancer screening, the coverage rate is 9.2%, the
inviting rate is 65% and the participation rate is 14.2%.
The general intent of European Union’s plan to combat
cancer subsides in the prevention, detection and treatment
improvement, as well as cancer management in the EU, reducing health inequalities between and inside the member states. The technical support offered to the member states could contribute to the increase of screening rates, while guides and structural support could contribute to assuring a comparably high health system quality in all Europe. Cuvinte cheie: cancer screening, European Union recommendation,
cervical cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer.