ArticleSAGE open medicine2020
Comparative analysis of the access to health-care services and breast cancer therapy in 10 Eastern European countries.
Article in SAGE open medicine, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
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The trial behind it
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 13 citations in OpenAlex.
- Breast cancer in Bosnia and Herzegovina: real-world patterns of diagnosis, treatment, and survival outcomes.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Breast cancer incidence, by stage at diagnosis, and mortality in 21 European countries in the era of mammography screening: an international population-based study.The Lancet regional health. Europe · 2026Article
- Factors Associated with Delays in Breast Cancer Diagnosis in Low- and Middle-income Countries: A Scoping Review.International journal of community based nursing and midwifery · 2026Review
- Evaluating the Concordance Between ChatGPT and Multidisciplinary Teams in Breast Cancer Treatment Planning: A Study from Bosnia and Herzegovina.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
- Management of Non-Communicable Diseases in Kosovo: A Scoping Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Article
- Treatment patterns, adherence to international guidelines, and financial mechanisms of the market access of advanced breast cancer therapy in Bulgaria.Frontiers in public health · 2023Article
- How Can the EU Beating Cancer Plan Help in Tackling Lung Cancer, Colorectal Cancer, Breast Cancer and Melanoma?Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Article
- Pharmacotherapeutic Patterns and Patients' Access to Pharmacotherapy for Some Rare Diseases in Bulgaria - A Pilot Comparative Study.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 4 institutions in 4 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
aimThe aim of this study is to compare the differences in breast cancer therapy, health-care service practices, and their availability in ten European countries-Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Montenegro, Republic of North Macedonia, Croatia, Romania, Slovenia, and Republic of Serbia.
methodsAn inquire survey was conducted among oncologists in the participating countries. The questionnaire was of qualitative character and focused on several key areas as screening practices, diagnosing, treatment, and health-care procedures utilization. The results were processed through comparative and percentage analysis.
resultsAll of the observed countries have national registries for breast cancer, but only in five, a mechanism of controlled action of early detection is implemented. Ninety percent of the countries have implemented in the national guidelines the European Society of Medical Oncology recommendations, while National Comprehensive Cancer Network is considered in only 50%. In all countries, digital mammography is a universal diagnostic method. Pathohistological analysis, including HER2 receptor expression and determination of the level of progesterone and estrogen receptors, is routinely performed in all countries prior to therapy. Some differences are observed in terms of FISH/CISH methods, determination of Ki-67 volume, and prognostic molecular assays. Trastuzumab is used as neo-adjuvant therapy in HER2-positive disease in all countries, while in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, only pertuzumab is used. Psychological support is integrated into the professional guidelines for treatment and monitoring in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, and Serbia.
conclusionsThe international guidelines should be followed strictly, and some improvements in the health policies should be made in order to decrease the differences and inequalities in the availability of the breast cancer (BC) health services in the Central and Eastern European countries.
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Registered trials
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