The number of cancer cases is increasing in Italy in the post-pandemic period, with significant challenges in prevention but also advancements in oncology research

The Challenge of Prevention

Italy is facing a growing wave of cancer cases in the post-pandemic period. According to the report ‘Cancer Figures in Italy 2023,’ the number of new cancer diagnoses has increased by 18,400 cases in just three years, rising from 376,600 in 2020 to a projected 395,000 in 2023. This increase affects both men, with 208,000 projected new diagnoses, and women, with 187,000 new diagnoses.

In parallel with this increase in diagnoses, there is a concerning decrease in adherence to preventive screenings. In 2022, at the national level, there was a 3% decline in coverage for mammography screenings (43%) and colorectal screenings (27%) compared to 2021 when they had returned to pre-pandemic levels. This decline was particularly noticeable in the Northern regions, with mammography adherence dropping from 63% to 54% and colorectal screening adherence dropping from 45% to 38%.

However, despite the challenges in prevention, oncology research has made significant strides and has contributed to saving thousands of lives in recent years. Between 2007 and 2019, 268,471 oncology-related deaths were avoided thanks to progress in diagnosis and therapies. This demonstrates that cancer is increasingly becoming a curable disease, and many patients are able to overcome it and return to a normal life.

Advancements in Cancer Therapy

Saverio Cinieri, President of the Aiom Foundation, emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis and targeted therapies: “Clinical situations that just a decade ago had very limited therapeutic options now involve a sequence of multiple treatment lines. Molecular characterization is necessary in all cases where targeted therapies are available in clinical practice.”

Furthermore, new-generation immunotherapeutic drugs are bringing significant improvements in cancer therapies. These drugs are enabling responses associated with prolonged disease control over time.

The Challenge of Prevention and Risk Factors

However, the challenge in cancer prevention still faces several obstacles. The report highlights some negative habits among Italians that increase the risk of developing cancer. Smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, sedentary lifestyles, and obesity are four of the main risk factors associated with unhealthy lifestyles that are still too prevalent.

Maria Masocco, Scientific Manager of the Passi and Passi D’Argento surveillance systems, underscores the need to address these risk factors: “Smoking habits are more frequent among men, especially among younger individuals in the Central-Southern regions, and are strongly associated with social disadvantage. Sedentary lifestyles are more common among women and in Southern regions. Obesity, affecting more than 4 in 10 adults, has the highest rates in the South.”

Lung Cancer Among Women

One of the most concerning pieces of data concerns lung cancer, which has become the leading cause of death among women. This cancer is caused by smoking in over 80% of cases. While progress is being made in combating smoking among men, there is still much work to be done to reduce the number of women affected by this disease.

Fabrizio Stracci, President of Airtum, and Diego Serraino, Director of Oncological Epidemiology and Tumor Registry of Friuli Venezia Giulia, highlight the most striking data regarding lung cancer mortality. In men, 36.6% of oncology-related deaths avoided between 2007 and 2019 are linked to progress made in the fight against smoking, in addition to improved diagnostic and therapeutic practices. Among women, despite equal opportunities for diagnosis and treatment, an excess of 16,036 deaths from lung cancer has been documented, 16% more than expected. This suggests the urgent need to vigorously combat smoking, especially among women.

The Need to Increase Screening Coverage

The challenge of secondary prevention remains open. Only cervical screening, as explained by Paola Mantellini, Director of the National Screening Observatory, “shows a somewhat different trend compared to other programs, with overall pre-pandemic values around 39%, a decrease to 23% in 2020, a coverage level of 35% in 2021, and a further advancement to 41% in 2022.” In 2022, the improved coverage compared to 2021 is, at least in part, attributed to broader invitations to the population and the introduction of HPV testing from the age of 30.

In conclusion, as Italy faces an increase in cancer cases in the post-pandemic period, it is clear that prevention and oncology research are essential to combat this disease. Continued public awareness of risk factors and promotion of adherence to preventive screenings are crucial. Only in this way can more lives be saved and the devastating impact of cancer in Italy be reduced.

Source

• ansa.it