Tumors, Migliore (Fiaso): "25% of Italians are over 65, invest in prevention"

'New advanced skills in technology and AI are key to avoiding mortality'

"For many oncological pathologies, such as bladder tumors, the possibility of having highly specialized surgical interventions and innovative therapies have meant that chronicity is now a reality. But for an increasingly universalistic health service it is essential to invest in prevention, focusing on the combination of sport and culture in particular". This is what Giovanni Migliore, president of the Italian Federation of Health and Hospital Companies (Fiaso), said on the occasion of the urothelial tumor awareness tour 'Non girarci intorno', promoted by Merck. The initiative, designed for Bladder Cancer Awareness Month, is linked to the Giro d'Italia, one of the most followed sporting events in our country, of which Merck is the official partner and follows the stages, offering a stand at the Giro village where the public receives informative materials on the pathology and participates in moments of 'edutainment'.

"25% of our population is made up of elderly people, therefore over 65 - Migliore emphasizes - who in order to continue an active life must take care of their health, investing in prevention much earlier when they are younger. However, together with an average life expectancy at birth that is among the highest in the world, we cannot fail to note the need for our elderly to have to spend this long period 'accompanied' by some chronic condition". A phenomenon that has also become a reality for bladder cancer and in general for oncological pathologies of urological interest and this "thanks to the development of technologies, greater knowledge and the fact that our professionals and our healthcare companies have developed extraordinary expertise recognized internationally, so that today we are able to avoid mortality from these pathologies. We have been able to transform an acute condition into a chronic one, avoiding the death of the patient".

It is essential to shift the focus from the absorption of resources, that is, from the cost of the NHS, to prevention: "It has been demonstrated - underlines Migliore - that investment in sports and culture is accompanied by the possibility, later on, of continuing to ensure a universalistic health service that today guarantees the possibility for all of us to have highly specialized surgical interventions, but also free drugs that allow us to make even oncological pathologies chronic. As Fiaso we underline that it is essential to take care of ourselves through sport, but also through awareness and information. Initiatives like these can only go in this direction".

The healthcare system is ready to exploit the technological solutions that progress makes available: "We as a federation have already started a path of awareness towards company management a couple of years ago, also on the most current issues such as artificial intelligence. Precisely for this reason - concludes the president - in June we will hold the Fiaso Forum on AI for the future of Italian healthcare. This is the effort that awaits us, a great effort of awareness and training to guarantee further protection against all tumors, including those of the urothelial system".