WHO WE ARE PEMBE HANIM IS A TURKISH UMBRELLA CANCER PATIENTS ORGANISATION FOUNDED IN 2010 BY NEVVAL SEVINDI BC SURVIVOR TWICE ,ANTHROPOLOGIST WRITER, COLUMNIST AND ACTUAL PRESIDENT. PEMBE HANIM IS THE MOST ACTIVE INTERNATIONAL TURKISH PATIENT ORGANISATION WITH COLLABARATION OR WITH MEMBERSHIP OF ORGANISATIONS AND SOCIETIES SUCH AS IASLC, ECPC, ASCO, ACS, ESMO, ROY CASTEL LUNG CANCER FOUNDATION, EUROPA COLON AND ESGO. OUR PRIMARY AIM IS TO BE PATIENTS NEEDS VOICE IN THE HEALTH POLICY AND ADVOCATE WITH THE NECESSARY TOOLS . OUR OTHERS MAINS CONCERNS ARE HTA,FAIR ACCES TO DRUGS , INOVATION AND SCREENING IMPLEMENTATION FOR PREVENTION. EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS ARE CONDUCTED YEARLY FOR THE PUBLIC AND PATIENTS INCLUDING SUBJECTS SUCH AS NUTRITION PSYCHOLOGY , PREVENTION , TREATMENT .

LUNG CANCER MANAGEMENT IN TURKEY

FACTS Lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer death in men in Turkey and its incidence is increasing in women in recent years as well. ( Yearly approximately 250 000 new diagnosis all cancers ) It is the fifth common cause cancer after breast, colon, thyroid and gynecologic malignancies in women in Turkey. The number of cancer cases directly related with smoking is expected to be 31.000.

FACTS Between 2009-2013, the incidence of lung cancer among men has decreased from 56 to 51 in a hundred thousand. However the number has increased from 16 to 18 in a hundred thousand among women. This decrease among men is the positive result of effective smoking cessation campaigns as the main cause of lung cancer in Turkey is smoking.

DIAGNOSIS Lung cancer is diagnosed generally at late stages in Turkey as well as in the west, and more than 50% of the patients present with metastatic disease at diagnosis. Only minority, less than 20% present with localized disease and these cases are generally detected incidentally for other health reasons. Curative surgery can be offered to only 15% of the patients.

DIAGNOSIS In Turkey it is not possible to talk about early diagnosis. However we can talk about early stage diagnosis. The rate of early stage lung cancer patients in Turkey is less than 1/5. Unfortunately population based screening programs for lung cancer has not been approved by Ministry of Health yet.

TREATMENT Treatment decisions in high volume centers are taken by multidisciplinary way including radiologists, pathologists, nuclear medicine specialists, surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists. Surgery is the primary treatment modality in early stages of disease, and lung cancer surgeons are well experienced throughout the country.

TREATMENT Cancer chemotherapy and radiotherapy are well developed in the country with the availability of recent FDA approved targeted drugs and immunotherapeutic agents as well. Certain centers in Turkey are also included in multinational studies involving new agents in treatment of this disease. Radiation oncology centers are equipped with high technology radiotherapy machines being able to perform image guided intensity modulated radiotherapies and stereotactic radiotherapies in treatment of this disease.

PREVENTION For the last years public prevention programs in Turkey has increased. Two main actions for this are smoking cessation and fight against air pollution. No Screening Policy

WHAT WE HAVE DONE... Mega Lungs is the only public awareness project in Turkey for public awareness about giving information and educating for Lung Cancer in Turkey . After we brought it from USA we doanated it to the Health Ministry Publich Health Cancer Department and since 3 years its going on rod shows in 81 cities with great impact as its the only Lung cancer public awareness visiual tool in our Country “MegaLung” had its place in many organizations open to public to reach as many people as possible as lung cancer is a wide range cancer and it has a preventable cause namely smoking.

WHAT WE ARE WORKING ON .. In Turkey no Lung Cancer Patients assosciation is existent though is a leading cause of cancer mortality. At the moment with the collaboration of members of Pembe Hanım Association, mainly Seda Kansu and Turkish Lung Cancer Society, a patient organization for lung cancer called “Nefes (Breath)” is being set up with the aim of raising awareness among public and lung cancer patients about the all the issues related with lung cancer. We need all collaboration and aid possible.

HAND TO HAND HEART TO HEART FOR THE CURE OF LUNG CANCER THANK YOU