ECPC Press Release - 28 September 2007

Brussels, 28.09.2007

Cancer patients across Europe can now count on the European Parliament to support them in their fight against cancer. Over 425 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) signed a Written Declaration asking the Council and the Commission to revise strategies for better controlling cancer in the EU. “Our patients were very disappointed when the Europe against Cancer programme closed down in 2002, but this important step now puts cancer back on the agenda,” said Hildrun Sundseth, Head of Policy, European Cancer Patient Coalition.

The Parliament is asking the Commission and the Council to re-examine existing measures and actions to combat cancer and to develop an up-to-date comprehensive cancer control strategy with a primary focus on prevention and early detection. The move, led by Professor Trakatellis, from a group of committed members of the European Parliament who belong to MAC - MEPs against Cancer, has come none too soon.

At present, one third of European citizens can expect to be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime and one quarter will die. Many of these deaths could be prevented if timely action were taken. Every year, thousands of people die unnecessarily because their treatment is below standard or was given too late. Cancer rates are set to increase dramatically as European citizens age. Presently, cancer is the second leading cause of death after cardiovascular disease.

The European Parliament calls on the Council and the Commission to formulate a comprehensive strategy addressing the four basic cancer control factors: prevention, early detection and diagnosis, treatment and follow up including palliative care.

The Commission is asked to review all relevant Community legislation and measures, upgrading and modifying them in keeping with new scientific advances and specifically to
•    encourage research and innovation in the area of primary prevention and early detection of cancer.
•    promote relevant information campaigns for the general public and for all healthcare providers.
•    ensure that Community legislation contains incentives for industry and researchers alike in order to secure ongoing research and guarantee new generations of medicines and new treatments to combat and control cancer.
•    secure through networks the dissemination of best practices in order to ensure that citizens have access to the best available treatment.

Cancer Patients can now take heart that they are not left alone in their struggle against cancer, “The European Cancer Patient Coalition is delighted to hear that its call for a comprehensive cancer strategy has been heard. We look forward to the day when less of us will be diagnosed with cancer and more of us will survive”, said the Coalition’s President, Lynn Faulds Wood.

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Notes to the Editor

The European Cancer Patient Coalition was founded in 2003 under the slogan “Nothing about Us, Without Us. It is committed to improving cancer prevention, screening, early diagnosis and best treatment, reducing disparity and inequality across the EU. ECPC seeks to ensure that policy makers, politicians, health professionals, the media and the general public recognise the serious nature of cancer and the need for concerted action to reduce unnecessary death and suffering. Further information can be found at www.ecpc-online.org.

Cancer in Europe: Key facts and figures

• There are more than 2 million new cases and more than 1.1 million cancer deaths in Europe each year
• Every day 5214 Europeans are diagnosed with cancer and 3185 die from their disease
• Lung cancer is the commonest form of cancer, followed closely by colorectal cancer
• Lung, colorectal and breast cancer account for two-fifths of the entire European cancer population
• Most of the other cancer are considered rare diseases according to the EU criteria affecting not more than 5/10,000 people in the EU
• The number of Europeans with cancer will increase dramatically over the next 20 years mainly due to the ageing population