Doctors call for a national plan for cancer treatment
With cancer predicted to be the leading cause of death in 2035, displacing cardiovascular disease, doctors are calling for a sustainable cancer management plan for prevention and treatment.
There are 65,000 new cancer cases every year in Greece, with 32,000 deaths annually. Health officials stress that 40-50% of cases are preventable through a healthy diet and lifestyle. Just 25-30% of Greek women undergo a Pap test and only once every 2-3 years. Another disconcerting fact is that 50% of cancers in Greece are diagnosed when checking for another health problem.
Hellenic Society of Surgical Oncology President Ioannis Karaitianos bemoans the fact that despite the constant awareness efforts made throughout Europe to introduce population-based screening for the most common cancers, which could lead to an up to 70% reduction in mortality from cervical cancer and up to 35% from breast cancer, general population compliance remains low.
