Prostate Cancer Data and Policy in Romania
Incidence
Romania has the lowest prostate cancer incidence rates in the EU, at 84 per 100,000 population.1 This is significantly lower than the European average of 153.9 per 100,000.1 The low prostate cancer incidence in Romania could be in part due to the fact that PSA screening test coverage is low in Romania, meaning fewer cancers are detected.2
84
Romania, new cases per 100,000, 20201
153.9
EU27 average, new cases per 100,000, 20201
Estimated prostate cancer incidence 2020
(crude rate per 100,000 population)
(crude rate per 100,000 population)
Mortality
In Romania, the mortality rate for prostate cancer is 25.4 per 100,000 population.1 This is one of the lower prostate cancer mortality rates in Europe, and below the EU average of 32.1 per 100,000.1
25.4
Romania, deaths per 100,000, 20201
32.1
EU27 average, deaths per 100,000, 20201
Prostate cancer mortality 2020
(crude rate per 100,000 population)
(crude rate per 100,000 population)
Survival
Romania has one of the lowest five-year survival rates for prostate cancer in the EU at 77.1%, ahead of only Bulgaria and Slovakia.1 Whilst in most other EU countries survival rates were higher between 2010-2014 compared with 2005-2009, in Romania the survival rate decreased slightly compared to the previous five years.1
77.1%
Romania, five-year survival, 2010-141
3rd lowest
Five-year survival in the EU, 2010-141
Prostate cancer age-standardised 5-year net survival (%)
National policies
Romania has an Integrated Multi-Annual National Cancer Control Plan for 2016-2020. The full plan is not available online.
Clinical guidelines
There are no national clinical guidelines for prostate cancer in Romania. Clinicians in Romania follow the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) guidelines entitled Prostate cancer: ESMO Clinical Practice Guide for Diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. The recommended care pathway includes patient access to*:
Review by a multidisciplinary team
- Not included
Support from a specialist nurse
- Not included
Holistic needs assessment
- Included
A tailored treatment plan
- Included
Nutrition and exercise advice
- Included
Psychological support
- Not included
Regular care reviews
- Not included
Cancer care
Access to specialists
In Romania, there are approximately 26,859 inhabitants per urologist,1,2 putting it roughly in the middle of the table when compared with other EU countries. At the top end of the scale, Greece has the highest number of urologists per inhabitant with 10,000 citizens to every urologist.3
Approximate number of inhabitants per urologist - 2018*
Cost of cancer
The annual direct cost of cancer per person in Romania is the lowest in Europe at €36.1 For comparison, the second lowest is Bulgaria at €45, while the top spender is Luxembourg at €363.1 Whilst a number of factors contribute to improved outcomes for those affected by prostate cancer, studies have shown that those countries that invest more in cancer care tend to achieve better outcomes for patients.1
Direct health cost of cancer per person - 2018 (€)
Cancer medicines spend
Romania spends €18 per capita on cancer medicines annually, making it one of the lowest spenders in the EU.1 Western European countries tend to spend the most on cancer treatments with Austria (€108 per capita) spending almost six times the amount of Romania.1
Per capita cost of cancer medicines - 2018 (€)
Organisations
Patient organisations
The main cancer patient organisation in Romania is:
Federation of Cancer Patients’ Associations
https://fabc.ro/
References
Links to external websites are provided as a resource to the viewer. We accept no responsibility for the content or services of the linked site other than the information or other materials provided or reviewed by the LTPC expert group members
Incidence
1 European Cancer Information System (ECIS). Estimates of cancer incidence and mortality in 2020. Accessible at https://ecis.jrc.ec.europa.eu/explorer.php?$0-0$1-All$2-All$4-1$3-34$6-0,85$5-2008,2008$7-7$CEstByCountry$X0_8-3$X0_19-AE27$X0_20-No$CEstBySexByCountry$X1_8-3$X1_19-AE27$X1_-1-1$CEstByIndiByCountry$X2_8-3$X2_19-AE27$X2_20-No$CEstRelative$X3_8-3$X3_9-AE27$X3_19-AE27$CEstByCountryTable$X4_19-AE27 (last accessed February 2022)
2 Mates, D et al. Prostate cancer: an occupational hazard in Romania?. Romanian Journal of Occupational Medicine. 2019. 70(1):38-45
Chart source
European Cancer Information System (ECIS). Estimates of cancer incidence and mortality in 2020. Accessible at https://ecis.jrc.ec.europa.eu/explorer.php?$0-0$1-All$2-All$4-1$3-34$6-0,85$5-2008,2008$7-8$CEstByCountry$X0_8-3$X0_19-AE27$X0_20-No$CEstBySexByCountry$X1_8-3$X1_19-AE27$X1_-1-1$CEstByIndiByCountry$X2_8-3$X2_19-AE27$X2_20-No$CEstRelative$X3_8-3$X3_9-AE27$X3_19-AE27$CEstByCountryTable$X4_19-AE27 (last accessed March 2022)
Mortality
1 European Cancer Information System (ECIS). Estimates of cancer incidence and mortality in 2020. Accessible at https://ecis.jrc.ec.europa.eu/explorer.php?$0-0$1-All$2-All$4-1$3-34$6-0,85$5-2008,2008$7-8$CEstByCountry$X0_8-3$X0_19-AE27$X0_20-No$CEstBySexByCountry$X1_8-3$X1_19-AE27$X1_-1-1$CEstByIndiByCountry$X2_8-3$X2_19-AE27$X2_20-No$CEstRelative$X3_8-3$X3_9-AE27$X3_19-AE27$CEstByCountryTable$X4_19-AE27 (last accessed February 2022)
Chart source
European Cancer Information System (ECIS). Estimates of cancer incidence and mortality in 2020. Accessible at https://ecis.jrc.ec.europa.eu/explorer.php?$0-0$1-All$2-All$4-1$3-34$6-0,85$5-2008,2008$7-8$CEstByCountry$X0_8-3$X0_19-AE27$X0_20-No$CEstBySexByCountry$X1_8-3$X1_19-AE27$X1_-1-1$CEstByIndiByCountry$X2_8-3$X2_19-AE27$X2_20-No$CEstRelative$X3_8-3$X3_9-AE27$X3_19-AE27$CEstByCountryTable$X4_19-AE27 (last accessed March 2022)
Survival
1 Hofmarcher, T et al. Comparator Report on Cancer in Europe in 2019. IHE Report 2019:7. Accessible at https://www.efpia.eu/publications/cancer-comparator-report/cancer-types/prostate-cancer/ (last accessed March 2022)
Chart source
Hofmarcher, T et al. Comparator Report on Cancer in Europe in 2019. IHE Report 2019:7. Accessible at https://www.efpia.eu/publications/cancer-comparator-report/cancer-types/prostate-cancer/ (last accessed March 2022)
Cancer care
Access to specialists
1 Institutul National De Statistica. Activitatea Unitatilor Sanitare. 2019. Accessible at https://insse.ro/cms/sites/default/files/field/
publicatii/activitatea_unitatilor_sanitare_anul_2019.pdf (last accessed March 2022)
2 United Nations, Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs. World Population Prospects 2019. Accessible at https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Files/
1_Indicators%20(Standard)/EXCEL_FILES/
1_Population/WPP2019_POP_F01_1_TOTAL_POPULATION_BOTH_SEXES.xlsx (last accessed March 2022)
3 European Society of Residents in Urology (ESRU). Greece. March 2018. Accessible at https://esru.eu/?q=greece (last accessed March 2022)
Cost of cancer
1 Hofmarcher, T et al. Comparator Report on Cancer in Europe in 2019. IHE Report 2019:7. Accessible at https://www.efpia.eu/publications/cancer-comparator-report/cancer-types/prostate-cancer/ (last accessed March 2022)
Cancer medicines spend
1 Hofmarcher, T et al. Comparator Report on Cancer in Europe in 2019. IHE Report 2019:7. Accessible at https://www.efpia.eu/publications/cancer-comparator-report/cancer-types/prostate-cancer/ (last accessed March 2022)
Chart sources
*Different data sources were used for Belgium, Hungary, Italy, Romania and the UK, which may use data from different years. See references below. No data was found for Cyprus, Luxembourg, Malta and Slovakia.
European Society of Residents in Urology (ESRU). Countries. March 2018. Accessible at https://esru.eu/?q=countries (last accessed March 2022)
Federal Public Service of Public Health, Safety of the Food Chain and the Environment. HWF STATAN 2019 (detailed statistics). 2019. Accessible at https://organesdeconcertation.sante.belgique.be/fr/documents/hwf-statan-2019-statistiques-detaillees (last accessed March 2022)
Boszormenyi-Nagy, G. Report on urological inpatient care based on 2018 data. Urologia Hungarica. Accessible at http://urologiahungarica.hu/index.php/2020/05/12/beszamolo-az-urologiai-fekvobeteg-ellatasrol-a-2018-as-adatok-alapjan/ (last accessed March 2022)
I.Stat. Personale sanitario. Accessible at http://dati.istat.it/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=DCIS_PERS_SANIT (last accessed March 2022)
Institutul National De Statistica. Activitatea Unitatilor Sanitare in Anul 2019. 2020. Accessible at https://insse.ro/cms/sites/default/files/field/publicatii/activitatea_unitatilor_sanitare_anul_2019.pdf (last accessed March 2022)
United Nations, Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs. World Population Prospects 2019. Accessible at https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Files/1_Indicators%20(Standard)/EXCEL_FILES/1_Population/
WPP2019_POP_F01_1_TOTAL_POPULATION_BOTH_SEXES.xlsx (last accessed March 2022)
British Association of Urological Surgeons and The Specialist Advisory Committee in Urology. Workforce Report. 2018. Accessible at https://www.baus.org.uk/_userfiles/pages/files/publications/
Workforce_Report_Sep%202018%20ver%201.1.pdf (last accessed March 2022)
Hofmarcher, T et al. Comparator Report on Cancer in Europe in 2019. IHE Report 2019:7. Accessible at https://www.efpia.eu/publications/cancer-comparator-report/cancer-types/prostate-cancer/ (last accessed March 2022)
Hofmarcher, T et al. Comparator Report on Cancer in Europe in 2019. IHE Report 2019:7. Accessible at https://www.efpia.eu/publications/cancer-comparator-report/cancer-types/prostate-cancer/ (last accessed March 2022)