AIOM CONGRESS SPECIAL. Schillaci, our commitment to investing in cancer research

"President Mattarella's presence further demonstrates the institutions' profound commitment to the fight against cancer, which is a top priority for the Government and the Ministry of Health. This commitment translates into investments in cancer research, the strengthening of treatment and care services, and the daily support for patients and their families," said Health Minister Orazio Schillaci in a message to the Italian Association of Medical Oncology (AIOM) congress, which opens today in Rome, attended by the President of the Republic. "Thanks to extraordinary advances in research, we now have more effective treatments and higher survival rates. The data fully demonstrate the value of Italian oncology: between 2020 and 2025," Schillaci noted, "cancer mortality rates are estimated to decrease by 14.5% in men and 5% in women. These results are better than the European average and the major EU member states." The Italian health system, the minister emphasized, "continues to be recognized as one of the best in the world, thanks above all to the work of healthcare workers, to whom we extend our gratitude. We are aware of the need to strengthen the system, with new resources and more staff. And this is the direction we have taken." The new budget, he noted, "includes funds to hire more doctors and nurses and to increase cancer screening for breast, colorectal, and lung cancer. At the same time, we continue to promote healthy lifestyles to counter risk factors: 40 percent of cancer deaths are avoidable through healthy behaviors. Prevention remains our primary cure: we are working to build an increasingly proactive and people-centered healthcare system." "The fight against cancer requires unity and finds strength in the ongoing and effective collaboration between institutions and scientific societies. The Italian Association of Medical Oncology," Schillaci concluded, "is a point of reference, and the contribution of Italian oncologists is essential to jointly addressing the challenges facing the National Health Service."