PolmoniAMO_INGL

PolmoniAMO 19 Italian Manifesto 2. WHY DEVELOP AN ITALIAN MANIFESTO ON THE IMPORTANCE OF LUNG CANCER SCREENING? Early diagnosis saves lives [46] and is the first step on the road to recovery. Screening programmes are the cornerstone of public health services because they combine the best of science and innovation for the benefit of the public. Screening is therefore an excellent public health resource that must be put at the service of the great missing piece in the media’s coverage of oncological diseases: lung cancer. A decade ago, the National Prevention Plan for 2010-2012 identified the early detec- tion of lung cancer as a primary prevention measure and incentivised evidence-based monitoring of lung cancer screening programmes. However, the current National Prevention Plan for 2020-2025 does not even mention the word ‘lung’. This reg- ulatory oversight is at odds with the number of victims this cancer affects in our country each year and the increased sensitivity to cancer issues recorded at European level. For example, in February 2022, Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan was approved which, among its many objectives, aims to make early diagnosis more effec- tive and to achieve a tobacco-free generation by reducing the consumer percentage to less than 5% by 2040 [47]. In 2022, the European Commission will present a proposal to update the Council of Europe Recommendation on cancer screening in order to ensure that it is more in line with the latest available scientific data. Targeted screen- ing will be considered not only for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer, but also for other cancers such as prostate, lung and gastric cancers [48]. It is important that this ‘institutional momentum’ at the European level receives visibility and is made known to the general public, particularly to higher-risk groups who may feel ‘motivated’ and ‘encouraged’ to find out more once they are aware that the objectives must be followed up by operational actions for the benefit of those eligible for screening. There could not be a better time to advocate for a greater focus on lung cancer and the im- portance of screening. Scientific evidence and advances in therapy support the idea that lung cancer can, and should, no longer be viewed as a punishment but as a disease whose prospects in terms of survival are definitely improving. The early detection of lung cancer through screening is an example of how we can create resilient and sustainable future healthcare systems. In order to achieve a fully sustainable healthcare system, it is imperative that screening is aimed at a target population identified as being at highest risk of developing cancer due to age and tobacco exposure.