Screening


      Screening is a planned public health intervention which invites groups of apparently healthy population to undergo specific diagnostic tests, in order to detect early-stage diseases in an asymptomatic phase in which treatment has a high chance of success.

      Scientific evidence shows how these programs applied to the oncology field are effective in changing the natural history of some tumors: in some cases, they are successful in detecting cancer in its early stage when treatment has a very high chance of defeating the disease; in the most advanced stages they are able to increase survival and improve the quality of life thanks to conservative interventions.

      Breast cancer, uterine cervix cancer and colorectal cancer are three of the main tumors which affect the Italian population. For the prevention of such diseases, the Ministry of Health (National Prevention Plan) and (the Department of Health) Assessorato della Salute (Regional Prevention Plan), have planned screening campaigns aimed at particular population groups considered at risk (so-called target population).

      In Italy, Oncologic Screenings are an important element of the public health system so as to be included in the LEA (Essential Assistance Levels), all the health services that are offered to the citizen nationwide, being therefore an important investment for health.

      Although individual, so-called ‘spontaneous’ prevention is successful, only organized screening programs based on the active invitation of target age subjects, allow to get the highest level of effectiveness.

      Peculiar to these programs is the offer, in case the test results are positive, of an in-depth diagnostic-therapeutic path, completely free of charge and planned in compliance with strict national and international quality standards.

      Each citizen, in the age group required by every single type of screening, receives an invitation letter with an appointment to do a test and follow the prevention path.

      For breast cancer screening, women aged between 50 and 69 are invited to do a mammography every two years.

      For cervix tumor, women aged between 25 and 64 are invited to do a pap-test every three years .

      For colorectal cancer, both men and women aged between 50 and 69 are invited to do a SOF test (the test of the fecal occult blood) every two years .