Jornal de Prática Geral

The Potential Role of Primary Care Personnel in the Prevention and Screening of Cancer

Abstract

Dobrossy L and Budai A

The reduction of incidence and mortality of cancer puts a heavy burden on all actors of the health care system. The primary care personnel who see their exclusive role as treating sick people must not be an exception. As a new task, they have to do their part in the prevention aiming at elimination of lifestyle-related risk factors, and in the efforts to detect and treat cancer as early as possible. This paper indicates how they can take part in these efforts, discusses the natural history of cancer, the methods of prevention and screening, and the benefits and potential harms of interventions. Its message is that the efforts which mostly but not exclusively are the tasks of public health could be successful only by the contribution, change of traditional mentality, active and initiative attitude of primary care personnel.