Project's motivation

Smoking is a problem of the modern world producing yearly more victims than AIDS, alcoholism, drug abuse, car accidents, murders, suicide temptations, fires, etc. being one of the first cause of death that can be prevented.

Smoking is a risk factor for many types of cancer such as: larynx cancer, oropharynx cancer, tongue cancer, lung cancer, esophagus cancer, gastric cancer, bladder cancer, skin cancer and also for cardio-vascular diseases and pregnancy complications.

Tobacco addiction is a chronicle state that requires several interventions and today there are some efficient treatments that help in getting a long term or even permanent abstinence.

Statistically cancer represents the second cause of death after the cardiovascular diseases all over the world as well as in our country. The lung cancer is the most common neoplasm caused by smoking being the first cause of mortality by cancer in the world (17% of men's neoplasm and 12%of women's). If the incidence of lung neoplasm has dropped with 4.4% for men for women has increased with 6.2% in USA, where, in the last 20 years, the number of the survivors has increased with 14%. Despite of the unfavorable statistic data, the latest success in the techniques of molecular diagnosis (used in elucidation of the preclinical stage of the disease) and in improving of therapeutic possibilities are giving a hope for a better prognosis. In Romania it is noticed the same trend like world wide, with an underline on increasing of smoking habit among teenagers and youth.

Due to ignorance and lack of sanitary education in our country, the diagnosis is made in an advanced stage, when the treatment is often palliative and extremely expensive for society and for individual as well.

The launching of an aggressive campaign against smoking addressed to all people but especially to children and teenagers would represent a first step in this program against smoking.

The screening realized through an active program proved to be more efficient than the spontaneous one especially where the sanitary education is insufficient. Only an organized program can be correctly assessed, regarding the efficiency of detection and cost-benefit ratio. In addition, an active program allows different approaches depending on age groups, risk degree and results of primary tests. However, for lung cancer the screening program is not efficient.

Therefore, the initiation of a aggressive program regarding control, prevention of smoking and broncho-pulmonary diseases caused by smoking must be addressed to everyone.

The goals of the program::

1. The decreasing of cancer's incidence and mortality and treatments' costs
2. The training in domain of oncology the physicians with others specialties
3. Treatment of the patients suffering of broncho pulmonary disease such as chronicle bronchitis, lung emphysema, the obstructive chronicle broncho-pneumopathy and of those with cardiovascular diseases caused by smoking.
4. IV. Socio-professional reintegration of the patients after ceasing the treatment.
5. The involvement of the oncological institutes and medically university centers.
6. Fundraising to support this program
^TOP

Description of the project:

1. The decreasing of cancer's incidence, mortality and treatments' costs

   The project should cover all categories of age. Prevention of cancer caused by smoking mainly depends: on the success of the sanitary education, which is based on fight against smocking, (this is responsible for 85% of the death by lung cancer), on a better identification of the individuals with high risks and on the best methodology of screening and early detection, in order to reduce mortality and treatments' costs on short term.

   Through the Program "Smoking and Cancer", the League wants to sensitive the apparently healthy population, regarding the relationship between smoking and cancer. The global incidence of lung cancer increases yearly with 5% together with the increasing of number of cigarettes smoked by youth and teenagers (13-14 years) and of great number of heavy smokers.

   Creating the informative materials about: risk factors for cancer and methods for early detection of cancer in general but specially for broncho pulmonary cancer:
   
   

   • Leaflets for each location in which are mentioned the main risk factors for cancer and of lung cancer and the modalities through which these can be removed; presentation of alarming signs and symptoms that require immediate medical consult;
   • Posters that present information about diseases caused by smoking which must be placed within schools, universities, hospitals and other public places
   • Video tapes and short movies which illustrates the noxious effects caused by the components of tobacco upon pulmonary tissue and cardio-vascular system, the signs and the course of the disease for the correctly and incorrectly treated cases, the video tapes should be seen within meetings, roundtables discussions and short movies will be presented in cinemas and on TV like advertising spots.;
   • Activities carried out together with teachers from schools, high-schools and universities.
   • Practical guides addressed to all categories of individuals, written in accessible terms that stress the importance of smoking cessation. These guides must be distributed in a large aria.
   • Thematically articles published in national newspapers

     The distribution of this materials among population

     • Through mail, invitations at different meetings, informative materials and invitations to medical examination
     • At book exhibitions
     • At fashionable meetings
     • By attraction of a greater number of volunteers

     The organization of roundtable discussions in schools, with local administrative authorities, enterprises' mangers. They will aim to detail the subjects presented in advertising materials.

     The cooptation of public institutions based on protocols to support the program: city halls, police departments, education departments, hospitals, The Ministry of National Defense, fire departments.

   ^TOP



2. The training in domain of oncology of physicians with others specialties

   Organization of conferences, symposiums, roundtables, eventually within the specialized companies in which will be presented new data about prevention, early detecting and treatment of oncological diseases with participation of Romanian and foreigner specialists.

   • Sharing of experience between oncologists regarding the strategies for prevention and early detection of cancers caused by smoking.
   • Specialization courses for family physicians for the improvement of prevention and early detection activities, taking into account that they are the first visited by the people;
   • Publishing and distribution of an oncology magazine that will contain original articles of specialty and the intermediate results obtained by League within its programs and information meant to attract physicians and other health care providers in prevention and early detection of cancer. We'll distribute this magazine to population, to family physicians, to the specialists, to the Romanian Physicians College.
   ^TOP



3. The treatment of the patients with broncho pulmonary diseases such as chronic bronchitis, lung emphysema, the obstructive chronic bronchopneumopathy and of those with cardiovascular diseases caused by smoking.

   It is achieved through the cooperation of family's physicians with cardiologists and pneumologists beginning in private clinics of family physicians and those from diagnosis and treatment centers and continuing with the specific treatment in the specialized medical centers.

   It is necessary to explain as clear as possible, to patients the risk represented by continuing smoking and the benefic effect on clinic status of smoking cessation. These actions require participation of psychologists, who will provide support and counseling both individual and in groups. Patients diagnosed with lung cancer must be addressed to oncology university centers or those from different counties where exist oncology commission for therapeutic recommendation. These commissions are compounded by an oncology surgeon (in thoracic surgery), an oncologist and a radiotherapist. Through these commissions will be performed the post-therapy follow up at the end of the treatment.

   ^TOP



4. Socio-professional reintegration of the patients after ceasing the treatment.
   • Setting up of a support group for cancer survivors where they will benefit of counseling or they will be able to offer conciliation on specific problems.
   • Involvement of group's members in league's activity for prevention of smoking.
   • Solutions for reintegration of the patients into a normal familial and socio professional life (financial support for those with a lower socio-economic status).

   The voluntary registration in this group of ex-patients might be a solution itself and a first step to their socio professional reintegration and in the same time a real support for those who are still facing the disease.

   ^TOP



5. The involvement of oncological institutes and medically university centers
   • The National Program of Cancer (which includes a chapter about the control and the prevention of smoking) performed with the oncological institutes from Bucharest, Cluj and other university centers all over the country can stimulate their involvement in Program "Smoking and cancer"
   • Introduction of program about prevention and control of lung cancer in the National Program of fighting against Cancer
   • Centers of early detection from oncological institutes and university centers will map the population must be included in the screening programs and will perform the investigations and examinations to detect the possible neoplasm caused by smoking.
   • In this university centers will be created committees for the accreditation of screening unities which periodically will compare the results and quality of different centers; the committees will recommend administrative and legislative measures about control and prevention of smoking and early detection of lung cancer.
   ^TOP



6. Fundraising to support this program
   • The organization of cultural events with the purpose of financial support of the program;
   • The contact of organizations or international foundations with similar activity for the collaboration;
   • The cooptation of economical factors for financial support;
   • The presentation of the program to the authorities for the request of funds;
   • The realization of a presentation paper case which describes the activity of Romanian Cancer League in the Program "Smoking and Cancer", the results obtained until now and the future projects
   ^TOP