Cancer is the second leading cause of mortality in EU countries after cardiovascular diseases. Considering that Europe has a quarter of all cancer cases and less than 10% of the world's population, it is evident that cancer is a huge threat to our society. Every year, 2.7 million people are diagnosed with the disease and it kills another 1.3 million. The overall economic impact of cancer in Europe is estimated to exceed EUR 100 billion annually. Without decisive action, cancer cases are set to increase by 24% by 2035, making it the leading cause of death in the EU.
The EC communication published tackles the entire disease pathway: (1) prevention; (2) early detection; (3) diagnosis and treatment; and (4) quality of life of cancer patients and survivors. The Cancer Plan will enable expertise and resources to be shared across the EU - supporting countries, regions and cities with less knowledge and capacity. It will help researchers to exchange findings and to have access to crucial health data on the potential causes of cancer and promising treatments for it. Medical staff and hospitals will be able to tap into a wealth of shared information. Ultimately it will ensure that patients across the EU can benefit from better care and treatment.
Beating Cancer Plan is a key pillar of a stronger European Health Union and a more secure, better-prepared and more resilient EU. The Cancer Plan is linked to other Commission priorities, notably the Pharmaceutical Strategy for Europe and the EU Farm to Fork Strategy, as well as the planned European Health Data Space (expected by 2025). Cancer is one of the proposed European research and innovation missions and part of the Horizon Europe framework beginning in 2021.