Breast cancer: a virtuous model for women’s care
According to the study by Onda, in collaboration with the National Observatory on Health in the Regions
Italian and Senonetwork, the breast centers in this circuit enable women with breast cancer to receive
breasts to be followed by a multidisciplinary team, respecting patients’ times and ensuring
a better quality of life.
Timeliness in care and treatment, contained waiting times at every stage of the pathway, possibility of
be followed by a multidisciplinary team at every stage of the disease and to take advantage of pathways
diagnostic-therapeutic structured and efficient within the hospital: breast centers in Italy
represent a cutting-edge treatment and care opportunity for women with breast cancer today
breast, the most frequent among female cancers, which affects 50 thousand women in Italy every year;
thus represent a virtuous model capable of respecting patients’ time and improving
their quality of life.
This is shown by the results of a survey sponsored by Onda together with Senonetwork, curated by
By the National Observatory on Health in the Italian Regions and under the sponsorship of Andos Onlus,
Attivecomeprima Onlus, Europa Donna, Susan G. Komen Italy and the Italian School of Senology,
thanks to the unconditional contribution of Roche, which involved 89 Senology Operating Units
Italian women belonging to the Senonetwork circuit. The goal of the survey is to understand from the
organizational point of view, the characteristics of the pathways implemented to take care of the
patients, their effective care and respecting women’s schedules.
The numerous data collected, through questionnaires and on the case histories treated annually by the centers,
illustrate information on activity volumes, efficiency of care pathways, and their
economic-management organization. In terms of clinical and care aspects, the following emerges
That waiting times are significantly contained at every stage of the pathway.
That extensive diagnostic tests and examinations are performed by the centers within 1 week,
after which the case is discussed at the multidisciplinary team (MMD) meeting-
Multi Disciplinary Meeting) that takes place, on average, in just over 1 week and the pathway
of care is agreed between doctor and patient during an interview that lasts at least 30
minutes.
Surgery, if no other treatment is to be done first, takes place within 3 weeks
from the MMD. The average hospital stay does not exceed 2 days and the final histological diagnosis arrives within
15 days after surgery. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy initiation occurs 2 and 6 weeks after postoperative MMD, respectively.
Moreover, from an organizational point of view, more than half of the surveyed centers use the “all in one day” model, which allows patients to limit the time spent in the hospital to 5 hours to perform examinations, examination and administration of therapy.
Francesca Merzagora’s statements
“The time factor takes on absolute relevance especially in cancer patients who experience a condition that strongly impacts their quality of life,” comments Francesca Merzagora, Onda president. “Being able to deliver care and treatment pathways in minimal time is not only an indication of functionality but also of humanization and respect for the person.”.
Despite this, senology centers are currently not uniformly present throughout the country. In fact, each region has implemented the national indications expressed in the document of the State-Regions Conference of December 18, 2014, according to different times and ways. According to the document, each region must equip itself with a network of integrated multidisciplinary breast services; each center must treat at least 150 new cases and have a team composed of numerous professionals such as radiologist, surgeon, pathologist, oncologist, radiation oncologist, nurses, radiology technicians and data managers, as well as a number of figures essential in the patients’ pathway, depending on the case, such as psycho-oncologist, onco-geneticist, plastic surgeon.
Luigi Cataliotti’s comments
“It is confirmed that there is a need for breast centers to be established throughout our country as the time for diagnosis and treatment is thus reduced while improving the quality of life,” comments Luigi Cataliotti, President Senonetwork. “The Report curated by the National Observatory on Health in the Italian Regions on 89 senology centers that belong to Senonetwork is probably the first in this field and, in addition to being very interesting and well conducted, provides a rich body of data for subsequent analysis. I hope that this first project conducted by Onda and Senonetwork is the beginning of a fruitful collaboration.”.
In fact, a study conducted on patients treated in the census senology centers is planned for 2018, investigating the most significant moments of the diagnostic, therapeutic and care pathway and in particular the experience of each woman with a focus on the issue of time saved and their personal, social and work quality of life.
Francesca Merzagora’s conclusions
The time factor becomes crucial when it comes to therapies. “A number of studies conducted by Onda on women with breast cancer show the strong negative impact of therapy on their daily lives and those of their families, mainly due to the time expenditure while waiting to receive treatment in the hospital,” Merzagora continues. Being able to take advantage of therapies that reduce the time of administration, such as through new subcutaneous or oral formulations, makes it possible to better preserve patients’ quality of life and also ensure greater efficiency and cost control at centers.
Comparison of the data collected over the two-year period will provide insights for better overall management of the disease with a view to improving the quality of life of women with breast cancer.