National plan declares war on cancer

A national cervical cancer vaccine programme could be introduced next year together with a colorectal screening drive as part of the ambitious national cancer plan unveiled yesterday.

With an emphasis on prevention and early detection of cancers, the plan, costing more than €10 million in its five-year implementation, aims to address the disease that kills about 800 people annually in Malta.

It also aims to improve survival rates for malignancies, which is still lagging behind the European mean with a one per cent lower five-year survival rate for women and a five per cent lower survival rate for men.

An assessment for the introduction of a national human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine will be carried out this year to possibly introduce a nationwide vaccination campaign by 2012, targeting girls before they become sexually active. HPV, identified to cause cervical cancer and genital warts, is transmitted sexually.

The government also confirmed it would be rolling out a colorectal cancer screening programme as from 2012 inviting those aged 60 to 64 for a test known as a faecal occult blood test.

A more organised cervical cancer screening programme will be launched in 2014, targeting women over 20.

The plan, published with the help of specialists from the French National Cancer Institute, who assessed the proposed objectives, aims to fast-track possible cancer cases, increasing access to diagnostic tests and surgery through the introduction of predefined protocols.

Dedicated slots for medical imaging for cancer diagnosis will be available by 2012, together with unique appointments in specialist outpatient clinics and in surgery timetables for urgent diagnostic surgery to ensure this is carried out within one week of the initial patient consultation.

War on cancer

A PET/CT scan – which helps to effectively pinpoint the source of cancer – will be installed at Mater Dei Hospital by next year through an agreement with the Swiss government, costing €2.8 million.

The national formulary of free medicines will continue to expand to include more cancer medications, with a projected €64 million to be spent on all medications in 2011.

“Talking about incidence, mortality and survival is not enough. We need to consider the physical and psychosocial suffering of patients and their families,” Natasha Muscat Azzopardi, director general for strategy and sustainability within the Health Ministry, said.

Doctors had to humble themselves with the fact that patients felt the way in which bad news was broken to them was unsatisfactory, she said. Patients wanted more information and a say in their treatment plan, she added.

The plan, therefore, aimed to enhance psychological and spiritual support for patients and offer training for doctors in communication skills. It also focused on offering round the clock access to advice for palliative care patients, their families and doctors, among others.

The cancer plan aims to establish an infrastructure to coordinate cancer research and strengthen surveillance to monitor the disease and the services offered.

“These are not only words printed on a piece of paper but commitment by our government on what we want to achieve,” Health Minister Joseph Cassar said, adding the launch of the plan was by no means a point of departure, let alone a point of arrival.