Among the most anticipated events of spring, the Azalea della Ricerca returns for Mother's Day, Sunday, May 10th, thanks to thousands of volunteers across Italy, who have come together to support research into cancers affecting women.

Sardinia is also at the forefront in the streets with 200 municipalities involved and more than 280 active stations: all the information and distribution points on azaleadellaricerca.it.

In 2025, an estimated 179,800 new cancer diagnoses among women in Italy will occur, with approximately 1 in 3 women diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime. The most common cancers are breast cancer (31.1% of all cancer diagnoses among women), colorectal cancer (10.5%), lung cancer (9.1%), melanoma (4.7%), and uterine cancer (4.6%).

On average, women develop fewer cancers and overcome the disease more often than men. The reasons for this difference—due partly to biology and partly to other factors, such as social and cultural factors—are explored in the special publication distributed with the Azalea. It also explores the role of women in cancer research, past and present, and provides useful information for prevention.

Thanks to research findings, five-year patient survival rates for some types of cancer have increased significantly over the years. This is particularly true for breast cancer, where the rate has reached 89.5%. The situation is more complex for other rarer but less curable types of cancer, such as ovarian cancer, which is difficult to diagnose early, often resistant to treatment, and prone to recurrence.

Over the years, the campaign has allowed the AIRC Foundation to raise over 320 million euros, ensuring continuity for doctors and researchers committed to improving the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancers affecting women.

(Unioneonline/AD)