Italy expands breast cancer screening and partners with Vatican on charitable medical training

The Italian health system announced the extension of the mammography screening programme to women aged 45‑49 and 70‑74, and approved funding for ESR1 molecular tests for patients with metastatic breast cancer. The measures are part of the first year of the Fondazione IncontraDonna manifesto, which aims to improve equity of access, personalised care and integration of nutrition in oncology pathways. “​We will continue to work with the awareness that collaboration between institutions, scientific societies and associations can contribute to real personalisation of care,” said Fondazione IncontraDonna founder Adriana Bonifacino.

In a separate initiative, the Vatican Dicastery for the Service of Charity and the private university UniCamillus signed a three‑year agreement to host medical, dental, physiotherapy and nursing students in clinics that serve the homeless, migrants and other marginalised groups. The partnership will provide practical training while delivering free medical, dental and rehabilitative care to those in extreme need. A Vatican statement described the pact as “the natural meeting of the mission of two institutions deeply devoted to the service of the human being and its dignity.”