Cancer

#WorldCancerDay - How the EU is fighting cancer

Published

6 years ago

February 5, 2020

World Cancer Day (4 February) was this year held for the 20th time. Fighting cancer is one of the EU’s health priorities. Read on to find out more about the measures in place.

Launched 20 years ago, World Cancer Day on 4 February is a global initiative to raise awareness and increase action. Research and innovation on cancer has always been one of the EU’s health priorities.

Three million people were newly diagnosed with cancer and 1.4 million people died from cancer in the EU in 2018. This makes cancer the second leading cause of mortality after cardiovascular diseases. In many EU countries, it is the number one cause of death for people aged 45 to 64.

Cancer cases

Every nine seconds a new case of cancer is diagnosed in the EU
By 2035, the number of cancer cases could be doubled and an estimated 40% of the population will face cancer at some point in their lives
There are more than 100 types of cance

EU measures to fight cancer

Cancer can affect everyone, at any age. Polish MEP Janina Ochojska (EPP), who is being treated for breast cancer, sees it this way: “This is something that somehow connects Europe. Because together we fight something that affects everyone. Nobody is excluded from this lottery.”

Since 2007, the EU has invested about €3 billion in various activities such as research projects, clinical trials and training programmes.

40% of cancers are preventable

The EU also complements member states’ efforts by:

Making it easier to cooperate and share information;
adopting legislation to address risk factors (such as tobacco, carcinogens or pesticides), and;
running awareness rising campaigns

Parliament is asking among others for cancer prevention, early detection and access to quality care for all patients.

A new EU action plan

The European Commission is working on an ambitious EU action plan: the Europe Beating Cancer Plan. A conference taking place in the European Parliament on 4 February will be an opportunity for stakeholders to contribute to it.

Find out more