Romania

Cancer care in Romania

Romania has made important progress in cancer care in recent years, supported by investments in oncology infrastructure, improved access to innovative treatments and stronger alignment with European cancer policies. At the same time, significant challenges remain, including late diagnosis, regional inequalities in access to care, fragmented patient pathways and increasing pressure on healthcare resources, all of which continue to affect outcomes and patients’ experiences. In this context, improving cancer care is not only a matter of increasing investment, but also of ensuring that available resources are used effectively and translated into better outcomes, improved quality of life and more equitable access to care.

All.Can Romania Initiative

All.Can Romania is a multi-stakeholder initiative committed to improving the quality, accessibility, efficiency and sustainability of cancer care in Romania. It brings together relevant stakeholders from across the cancer care community to identify areas where resources can be used more effectively, generate evidence and develop consensus-driven recommendations to support meaningful improvements in the organisation and delivery of cancer care.

The initiative promotes a patient-centred and evidence-based approach, with a particular focus on translating research, stakeholder expertise and policy recommendations into practical solutions that can contribute to better outcomes for people affected by cancer.

Activities and milestones

• Understanding the patient experience – Conducted a patient survey exploring key aspects of the cancer journey, including diagnosis, shared decision-making, multidisciplinary care and the financial impact of cancer. The findings informed a White Paper with policy recommendations for improving cancer care in Romania.
• Improving cancer care efficiency – Developed the Analysis Report on Cancer Care Efficiency, supported by expert input, stakeholder consultations and technical debates, with recommendations aimed at improving resource efficiency across Romania’s oncology and onco-haematology system.
• Turning evidence into policy impact – Six of the sixteen recommendations included in the Analysis Report were incorporated into Romania’s national health reform plan, marking an important step towards translating evidence into policy action.
• Advancing Mission Early – Developed the Mission Early initiative, focused on improving public policies for earlier cancer care, including research on the “Lavender Zone” in collaboration with CERGAS at SDA Bocconi University.
• Supporting implementation and measuring efficiency – All.Can Romania continues to work with relevant stakeholders and institutions to support the implementation of recommendations and introduce international tools for measuring cancer care efficiency and promoting more data-driven, value-based and patient-centred care.