ECPC Press Release Nr 1/2009 on World Cancer Day - 4 February 2009

Brussels, 4 February 2009

World Cancer Day is a reminder that cancer affects us all. One third of EU citizens are diagnosed during their lifetime with this devastating disease which costs the lives of 1,2 million people a year, roughly the equivalent of the whole population of Hamburg or Budapest.

But this year, cancer patients, their families and friends have extra reason to hope. Europe mustered the political will to step up the fight against cancer. The European Commission has published a roadmap for its 2009 cancer action plan. Led by the Commission’s health directorate under the existing health strategy, a new cancer partnership engaging key stakeholders will be set up to help shape actions for the EU - 27 member states.

The partnership will draw upon the policy tools adopted last year by the European Parliament and the EU Health Ministers under the Slovenian Presidency to move from fine words to action.

With three EU institutions: Parliament, Council and Commission, committed to combating cancer more effectively and forcefully, the European Cancer Patient Coalition (ECPC) and its patients can be assured that this strong political pledge will translate into real actions, actions that will save many lives in future.

Hildrun Sundseth of ECPC, commented that “We have been campaigning tirelessly during the last four years for improved cancer control and are delighted there is now a new spirit of determination and partnership for reducing the burden of cancer in Europe. ECPC will continue to contribute the patient perspective.”

We know from Europe-wide data, gathered in national cancer registers, that European citizens do not have the same chance of survival from cancer across the EU. These worrying inequalities in prevention, screening and care are difficult for EU citizens to understand; for cancer patients and their families they are unacceptable. As early as 2003, Europe took a major step in the fight against cancer with a Screening Recommendation for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer where there is clear evidence that population-based programmes are effective. Yet the recently published Commission report on how EU countries have implemented the Council Screening Recommendation again shows wide variations between countries. The report reveals that not all Member States have screening programmes in place, nor are they all population-based to include everyone in the target groups. In fact, “less than half of the minimum recommended numbers of screenings take place in the EU each year” noted Health Commissioner Vassiliou in the press release accompanying the report’s launch. The key conclusion is that Europe needs to intensify and double cancer screening in the future.

Lynn Faulds Woods, President of ECPC, and a colon cancer survivor, urged that “we desperately need to step up screening. The Commission’s latest report shows that fewer than 50% of the minimum recommended numbers of screens take place annually in the EU. Member States have made progress, but we are still only half way there!”

Thankfully there are 3 cancers for which screening is effective, yet sadly, on World Cancer Day, we also have to face the fact that there are many cancers for which prevention is not possible or has come too late and for some there are currently little or no treatment options available. Here Europe surely must invest in more collaborative research efforts, focusing especially on rare cancers where it makes good sense to combine resources and expertise.

ECPC and its members will continue to do all we can to give our energy and support to the new Cancer Partnership and, through our members, work with national governments to ensure that they invest in and implement cancer control strategies that benefit their citizens, in the country in which they live and receive their health care.

For further information please contact:

Lynn Faulds Wood (ECPC President)
Tel.: + 44 (0)208 8915937
Mobile: + 44 (0)783 1310000
EMail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Hildrun Sundseth (ECPC Head of EU Policy)
Tel.: +32 2 772 6165
Mobile: +32 473 983164
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Notes to the Editor

About ECPC

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 2,2 million new cases and more than 1,1 cancer deaths in the EU 25 each year

• Every day, over 6000 Europeans are diagnosed with cancer and more than 3000 die from their disease

• In women breast cancer is the most common form of cancer, amounting to nearly 31% of all incidence cases

• In men prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer, amounting to 24% of all incidence cases

• Colon or colorectal cancer is the second cancer in women and third in men

• Breast, prostate, colon and lung cancers count for more than half of the entire cancer population of the European Union in both sexes

• Most of the other cancers are fortunately seen in smaller numbers and affecting not more than 5/10,000 people in the EU

• The number of Europeans with cancer will increase dramatically by 2015 due to the ageing population

Figures based on estimates of the cancer incidence and mortality in Europe in 2006 published in the Annals of Oncology by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
http://www.iarc.fr/