The European Council recommends an expansion of cancer screening in the EU – the proposal is an update of the 2003 Council Recommendation on the screening of breast, cervical and colorectal cancers. The document now also encompasses objectives to cover lung, prostrate and gastric cancers. Furthermore, it extends breast cancer age range and updates the screening tests for use in breast, colorectal and cervical cancer.
The background for this step is that over the past twenty years, there has been extraordinary progress in medicine but at the same time significant inconsistencies in screening services around the EU. As a matter of fact, 7 million people were diagnosed with cancer, and another 1.3 million died from cancer in 2020. Deaths by cancer are expected to increase by 24% by 2035, making it the chief reason of death in the region. It is estimated that new cancer cases will rise by 21% and death due to cancer will rise by 31% by 2040, unless crucial action is taken immediately.
Source: Medtech Insight (an Informa product)