Romania: Lung Cancer Country Profile
Romania has middling scores across all five of the domains, though it scores moderately well in the public health (second) and
treatment (fourth) domains. Romania performs at a moderately low level in the first domain, however, because it has neither
a National Cancer Control Plan nor a lung cancer specific control plan. Also the lung cancer clinical guidelines do not include a
discussion on shared decision making or supportive and palliative care. The country also performs at a moderately low level in
the third domain because guidelines neither have timeframes nor fast-tracking for diagnostic testing, nor is there a rapid referral
pathway to secondary or tertiary care. Scores are also only moderate in the fifth domain because the cancer registry is not highly
rated. We discuss opportunities for improvement at the end of this country profile.
Awareness of lung cancer and the challenges it poses to Romanians is increasing at the governmental level. The country is
currently working on a National Cancer Control Plan, which will help to ensure a co-ordinated approach for oncology services.
Addressing the challenges at all points from prevention, screening, early detection, symptoms to look for in primary care,
diagnosis, and improving access to treatment will be important goals for the new plan. Workshop participants emphasised that
understanding how to develop focused early detection programmes and improving access to the latest treatments are two
important elements in improving outcomes for patients.
Summary scorecard
Domain Austria Belgium Finland France Netherlands Norway Poland Romania Spain Sweden UKLung cancer
is a strategic
priorityM
Lung cancer
is a public
health issueMH
Lung cancer
is a race
against timeML
Lung cancer
is at a
crossroadsMH
Lung cancer
is a focus for
researchM
KeyLow Moderately low Moderate Moderately high HighSponsored by