European Region (EUR)

Progress over the last 50 years has transformed the prospects for people diagnosed with cancer in the UK. In the 1970s, only 1 in 4 cancer patients would survive their disease for ten years or more. By 2010, this had risen to 2 in 4, and survival continues to improve today. This is due to groundbreaking research, innovative new treatments, and the tireless efforts of staff right across

the NHS. However, there is still much to be done. This report summarises the current state of cancer in the UK, recognising where progress has been made, and highlighting the challenges that we continue to face.

White paper on a new collaborative initiative to improve breast cancer prevention, diagnosis and care across Europe.

This white paper intends to provide an up-to-date overview of the health and economic burden of breast cancer in Europe, and present breast cancer not only as a population health problem, but also as a socio-economic problem, as it underlines that European healthcare systems are still heterogeneous with stark inequalities existing in access, quality and patient outcomes. Lastly, it will review recent EU level policy initiatives related to breast cancer, as it stresses that the EU has played an important role in tackling breast cancer and that it should continue to provide its support on breast cancer diagnosis and care.

The incidence of cancer is increasing, resulting in a rising demand for high‑quality cancer care. In 2018, there were close to 4.23 million new cases of cancer in Europe, and this number is predicted to rise by almost a quarter to 5.2 million by 2040. This growing demand poses a major challenge to healthcare systems and highlights the need to ensure all cancer patients have access to high-quality, efficient cancer care. One critical component of cancer care is too often forgotten in these discussions: radiotherapy. Radiotherapy is recommended as part of treatment for more than 50% of cancer patients. However, at least one in four people needing radiotherapy does not receive it. This report aims to demonstrate the significant role of radiotherapy in achieving high-quality cancer care and highlights what needs to be done to close the current gap in utilisation of radiotherapy across Europe. We call on all stakeholders, with policymakers at the helm, to help position radiotherapy appropriately within cancer policies and models of care – for the benefit of cancer patients today and tomorrow.