ECPC Press Release - 15 October 2007

Brussels, 15.10.2007

A recent Eurobarometer survey on “Health in the European Union” finds that too few Europeans undergo colorectal, breast and cervical cancer checkups and this despite the Council Recommendation on screening for these cancers. EU Health Ministers adopted the Recommendation in 2003 for the three cancers where there is clear evidence that population-based screening programmes can save lives.

Currently one in three Europeans can expect to be diagnosed with cancer and one in four will die of it. Cancer will remain a major health problem in Europe, and is set to increase as our people continue to age. Experts tell us that over 50 % of cancers can be prevented. If Europe wants to stem the cancer tide, we need to invest much more heavily in prevention, screening programmes for those cancers that can be effectively screened, and early diagnosis.

Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer death in the European Union, second only to lung cancer in men and breast cancer in women. An introduction of population-based colorectal cancer (CRC) screening programmes, following the Council Recommendation has recently started in some member states, others plan to follow.

“Many of the colorectal cancer cases and cancer deaths occur needlessly, as they could be prevented through screening and early detection, says Lynn Faulds Wood, President of ECPC, and Lynn’s Bowel Cancer Campaign in the UK and a colon cancer survivor.
Yet the Eurobarometer survey finds that only 8% of the respondents took the colorectal screening test. Germany is ahead: 19 % of those surveyed were tested during the preceding year. This is followed by Austria with 17 %. However only 1 % of Cypriots took the test, while low figures (2%) are also seen in Slovenia, Romania and Croatia.

Women are doing better with breast and cervical cancer screening. There are encouraging signs that they take more advantage of screening for “their” cancers. For example, 43 % of all women underwent a manual breast examination while the mammogram screening is highest in Austria with 53%, and lowest in Romania with 6 %. The EU average for cervical testing is 41 %, highest in Luxembourg with 62 % and lowest in Cyprus and Romania.

Europa Uomo, the European Coalition of patients’ support groups for prostate diseases, says that men need to watch their prostate health. When it comes to health, all too often men like to hide their head in the sand and - compared to woman who have become formidable advocates for breast cancer awareness -  men are more reluctant to speak up.

According to Eurobarometer only 13 % of European men took the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test. Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed form of cancer in men. In Europe there are currently more than one million men living with prostate cancer. However, PSA screening is still a somewhat controversial topic, evidence for population-based screening programmes is lacking.  “50% of all prostate cancers newly diagnosed through screening do not need immediate treatment, and at least 30 % never need it”, says Professor Denis, Secretary of Europa Uomo. “Therefore, based on today’s increased knowledge of the natural history of prostate cancer, a choice for intensive monitoring rather than invasive treatment becomes a valid option”.

The Eurobarometer survey suggest that not only do we need more EU member states to develop population based screening programmes, but that people also need to be motivated to go for their checkups. The best screening programmes do not work, if people are not encourage and motivated to go for their tests.

“We are looking forward to see the report from the Commission on how countries have implemented the Council Recommendation, says Hildrun Sundseth, ECPC Head of EU Policy. “Once we have a clearer picture of what has been done, we can make recommendations what improvements are needed”.

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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