Cancer exam will be free of charge
Starting from January 2009, the preventive examination for colorectal cancer will be covered by the medical insurance. This good news has been confirmed by Prof Jiri Vorlicek, President of the Czech Society for Oncology.
Oncologists have found that there is an alarming number of patients in which bowel cancer is detected too late. As much as 60 per cent of patients with colorectal cancer go to see a doctor at a moment when the disease has already progressed into the fourth (and last) stage, which only gives them a 12% chance of five-year survival. According to the statistics, patients have a 75% chance of five-year survival if the disease is detected at an early stage.
"Bowel cancer is very difficult to detect, as there are no symptoms at the beginning. Blood might occur in the stool, but this is frequently attributed to haemorrhoids," explained Prof Vorlicek.
There might be another reason why bowel cancer is often detected too late: a thorough examination is rather uncomfortable. "People are not only scared of the examination, they are also ashamed," confirmed Prof Vorlicek. Up to now, bowel examination (colonoscopy) was covered by the medical insurance only for those patients who were predisposed to the disease. From 1st of January 2009, anyone aged 55 and over can have a colonoscopy, without having to pay for it.
""If a patient undergoes a colonoscopy and learns everything is OK, he does not have to be afraid about colorectal cancer over the next 10 years," said Prof Vorlicek. That is because the colonoscopy allows the doctors to see changes preceding to bowel cancer. People below the age of 55 who want to have a colonoscopic examination will be required to pay the normal cost of this procedure (1500-2000 CZK). "We have participated in the agreement and we support it," commented Mr Tomas Cikrt, the Ministry of Health's spokesman.
The incidence of bowel cancer is rather high in the Czech Republic in comparison with other countries. According to OECD statistics, the incidence in bowel cancer in men ranks among the highest in the world.
Cancer care is becoming ever better
Analysts say that late detection of malignant tumours is the weakest point of cancer care in the Czech Republic. Apart from bowel cancer, pancreatic cancer and kidney cancer are also frequently detected too late. According to detailed data, which are available to Czech oncologists, the cancer care is becoming ever better, and so is the patient's chance of survival.
Results from a common project of the University Hospital Ostrava and the Masaryk University in Brno suggest that the better situation in cancer care is mainly due to the recent advances in radiotherapy.
2. 10. 2008 Lidove noviny
