Premium
The Bucharest City General Council on Thursday approved the continuation of a programme started in 2018 for genetic testing for early stage breast cancer.
The programme featured on the additional agenda, at the proposal of Mayor General Gabriela Firea.
According to a press statement, the Bucharest City Hall will provide support in the amount of 2,500 lei to women with breast cancer for genetic tests that discover the possible recurrence of cancer. The project, called "BRCA testing," is designed for 500 women, who will need a medical indication issued by a specialist oncologist to perform the test.
"The tests provide women with breast cancer and doctors with additional information about the likelihood of recurrence of breast cancer in the next 10 years from the time of diagnosis. The tests are refundable to the public and/or private healthcare facilities affiliated with the project. It is a life-saving project, because the results will allow for appropriate treatment to be prescribed, which can greatly reduce the likelihood of recurrence of the disease," said Firea.
The project will run in 2020-2021 on a multi-annual budget of 1.2 million lei.
The programme started in 2018 allowed genetic tests to be performed on patients diagnosed with breast cancer, and over 350 women were tested.
"Estimates based on the latest available data show that in Bucharest more than 900 people are diagnosed with breast cancer annually. Adding up to them are approximately 3,500 patients diagnosed with the disease in the last five years and who are at various stages of treatment. Within ten days of the approval of the 'BRCA Testing' regulations will be devised for the implementation of the project."
