Breast Cancer Prevention, Lilt’s ‘Nasto Rosa’ Returns in October

With over 56 thousand new diagnoses recorded in 2023, breast cancer has confirmed itself as the most frequent female tumor in Italy, representing almost 30% of all neoplasms in women and, unfortunately, the leading cause of death in the 35 to 50 age group. While some risk factors, such as age, reproductive history and family history, cannot be modified. One of the main objectives of the ‘Lilt for Women-Nastro Rosa 2024’ campaign is “to raise awareness among women about modifiable risk factors, thanks to greater awareness and correct information”. Today the presentation in Rome at the Ministry of Health with the participation of Minister Orazio Schillaci. The campaign promoted by the Italian League for the fight against tumors focuses on prevention, early diagnosis and solidarity between women. With the claim Join the Fight, the three protagonists of Lilt for Women – Nastro Rosa 2024 invite women to “join in the battle against breast cancer, underlining the importance of taking care of one’s breasts at every stage of life, because prevention has no age”.

During the month of October, this mobilization involves the entire national territory thanks to the numerous initiatives promoted by over 100 associations of Lilt and its approximately 400 clinics and prevention spaces. Among these, the possibility of carrying out breast examinations at the participating clinics, bookable by calling the toll-free number 800-998877 (Monday to Friday from 10 am to 3 pm), and the distribution of information material to spread knowledge about this growing pathology and promote prevention, the only currently winning weapon, as a lifestyle.

Schittulli, ‘our goal is zero mortality’

“LILT’s constant commitment – explained Francesco Schittulli, national president of LILT – is to invest in health, aware that eliminating bad habits such as tobacco use, alcohol abuse, poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle could prevent 40% of cancer cases and reduce mortality to the same extent, thanks to participation in breast screening, which is still suffering today. This evidence pushes us to adopt a cross-cutting approach to reach the goal: zero mortality for breast cancer. We therefore aim to incentivize primary prevention by promoting healthy lifestyles and to strengthen secondary prevention actions to combat diagnostic delays, encouraging specialist visits and adherence to screening programs”.

“Thanks to diagnostic progress and the growing active interest of women, today most cancers are discovered in the initial phase, when surgical treatment is less invasive and therapies are more effective, to the point that we are increasingly talking about curability. This has led to a 5-year survival rate from diagnosis of over 85% – recalls Lilt in a note – Breast cancer is one of the three tumors for which the decline in mortality has been most evident in recent decades (together with stomach and colorectal cancers), with approximately one million women alive in Italy after diagnosis and therapies. At the same time, the approach to treatment is constantly evolving, becoming increasingly targeted and personalized, with appropriate treatments based on the biomolecular characteristics of the patient’s tumor: a multi-interdisciplinary approach with greater attention to quality of life”.