[REVISION HISTORY]

Romanian cancer patients seeking overseas treatment

Updated 7 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-08-31 08:18 UTC → 2026-09-01 15:32 UTC · added ~~removed~~

In early August 2026, Romanian model Alina Pușcău announced she had been diagnosed with multiple tumors, including formations in her chest and armpits, which had spread to her bones. She stated she would begin costly, targeted therapy at UCLA in Los Angeles, with expected costs potentially approaching half a million dollars. Two days later, a separate story highlighted another Romanian, Roxana Vălean, living in the United Kingdom and diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer. Her doctors identified an experimental PIPAC therapy available in Europe, but the £30,000 cost was beyond her family’s means. The report also referenced Pușcău’s situation, underscoring the broader financial and logistical hurdles Romanian cancer patients face when seeking advanced treatments abroad. By mid-August, Pușcău reported beginning medical treatment at UCLA, describing it as a form of local chemotherapy intended to shrink tumors or stop metastasis. She reported significant side effects, including extreme fatigue, nausea, and a weight loss of 10 kilograms. By August 15, she noted difficulties such as insomnia and physical malaise. Former footballer Dan Alexa suggested she might consider medical options in Romania or Turkey as she underwent new testing. By August 20, Pușcău revealed she is participating in the ‘Destiny-Breast09’ clinical trial at UCLA, which she identified as her only viable treatment option. By late August, Pușcău continued her regimen, emphasizing her reliance on faith and spiritual support. She has used social media to encourage other women facing similar diagnoses not to give up. Public figures, including model Angela Martini and chef Ștefan Popescu, have traveled to Los Angeles to support her. The broader issue of medical costs remains evident as George Melinte, another Romanian patient diagnosed with alveolar soft part sarcoma, has sought financial assistance to fund immunotherapy and pursue a second opinion in Italy.

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