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Event
20 - 21 November 2024, Radisson Collection Hotel, Grand Place Brussels (and Virtual)
United Against Cancer: Forging New Frontiers
The European Cancer Summit 2024 will once again unite the cancer community in accelerating efforts against a most relentless disease. Experts, patients and policymakers will explore new innovative solutions to pressing challenges faced by healthcare systems across Europe and propose new opportunities in cancer research.
This year’s European Cancer Summit takes place on 20 & 21 November, in Brussels & online.
The European Cancer Summit will be followed by an exclusive Showcase Event for the smartCARE and PROTECT-EUROPE projects on 22 November, at the same venue. Find out more.
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Event
08 October 2024, Virtual
On Tuesday 8 October from 15:00-17:30 CEST, the 2024 ECO Community 365 Roundtable series will continue with a spotlight placed on the issue of ‘EU HTA Cooperation’.
A landmark piece of European Union legislation to achieve greater cooperation between countries on Health Technology Assessment (HTA) is due to come into force in January 2025, with cancer medicines among the first group of therapies in its focus. Is the EU ready for Joint Clinical Assessments? Have stakeholder views been taken account of? Is there still time to address any remaining concerns? Register and participate in the roundtable to be a part of the conversation.
The Roundtable will be co-chaired by Giuseppe Curigliano, President, European Society of Breast Cancer Specialists; and Natacha Bolaños, Regional Manager for Europe, Lymphoma Coalition.
More information will be published here soon.
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Event
08 July 2024,
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news
26 June 2024
A new report, published as part of the EU-funded STRONG-AYA project, highlights a series of lessons and recommendations to provide a brighter future for adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer. Entitled ‘Caught in the Middle’, the report is the result of an extensive stakeholder forum.
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reports
June 2024
Each year, 150,000 individuals belonging to the Adolescents and Young Adults (AYA) age range of 15 to 39 years old are diagnosed with cancer. They represent a unique group, facing cancer-related struggles such as pain, anxiety, or infertility, which interplay with age-related difficulties such as unemployment, or a lack of financial stability.
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news
24 June 2024
In recent years, crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine have had a significant impact on cancer patients, emphasising the need for global collaboration in response. To that end, the European Cancer Organisation (ECO) has created a new Focused Topic Network on Emergencies and Crises so that the cancer community can better anticipate and prepare for the urgent needs of cancer patients in emergency situations.
The new network brings together participants from more than 150 organisations.
Mike Morrissey, CEO of the European Cancer Organisation:
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Our ability to withstand future challenges that will affect cancer patients depend on the preparedness and resilience of our healthcare systems. We are delighted that people of the calibre of Mark and Jacek have stepped up to lead this new focused topic network, particularly as we see more and more challenges to cancer patients emerging in conflict, crises and emergency situations.'
Dr Julie Gralow, Chief Medical Officer of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), one of the partners in this new network:
'Since the early days of the war in Ukraine, ASCO has been privileged to collaborate with the European Cancer Organisation and its members and partners to respond to the crisis. We have seen what collective action can do, and in turn we have all learned much from this experience. Regrettably, emergencies and crises will continue to confront the global cancer community - but if we are able to learn from our experiences and work collectively, we can mitigate their effects for the betterment of patients with cancer around the world.'
Prof Mark Lawler, Queen’s University Belfast, UK, and network Co-Chair:
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We cannot stand by – we must stand shoulder to shoulder with our cancer patients and our colleagues. We need to be proactive, not reactive. We need to deliver robust “on the ground” solutions with the urgency that is required to make a real difference to cancer patients and cancer health systems, locally, nationally and globally. This network will position us to do just that.'
Prof Jacek Jassem, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland, and network Co-Chair:
'As a resident of a country neighbouring Ukraine, these issues are very close to my heart. Oncology is a particular case because harmed care will have irreversible consequences. Everything must be done to preserve its continuity in all emergency areas. International organisations such as ECO have an essential role to play here. This is our moral obligation.'
Gilliosa Spurrier-Bernard, Co-Chair of ECO’s Patient Advocacy Committee and Co-Chair of ECO’s European Cancer Summit 2024:
‘Patients suffer from the state of poly-crisis that our health communities endure from climate change, epidemics, conflict etc. Being able to develop strategies that pre-empt the impact of these on cancer patients and building resilience and adaptability into our health systems is essential for cancer outcomes. Patient Organisations are keen to be at the centre of developing strategies and solutions to mitigate the impact of an unstable world on patients. I am happy that there will be a session developed by the Emergency and Crisis Network at the European Cancer Summit 2024 in Brussels and online.’
Tackling future emergencies and crises requires a team effort. The more united we are, the more resilient we are. Thus, we welcome new partner organisations to join this network to prepare our medical systems for the unpredictable.
For more details of ECO’s Focused Topic Networks, please visit the dedicated webpage.
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news
21 June 2024
The Council of the European Union has adapted a groundbreaking set of recommendations to increase vaccination rates against both the human papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis B virus (Hep B) and combating cancers caused by these two viruses. The measures were agreed upon today on during a meeting of the EPSCO (Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council) in Brussels, and are crucial for advancing our efforts to prevent cancer across Europe.
Key recommendations to member states include:
- Introducing 19 measures to boost HPV and HepB vaccination uptake by removing structural barriers for disadvantaged and high-risk groups
- Expanding access to vaccination by providing the service free of charge or fully reimbursable
- Enhancing data-driven decision-making for vaccination programmes
- Ensuring the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control will display national data on HPV coverage rates in EU member states on a dedicated dashboard by the end of the year
- Promoting a target for the percentage of boys to be vaccinated against HPV by 2030.
- Focusing on high-risk groups for HepB and reaching the 2030 goal of hepatitis elimination through 95% vaccination coverage
These measures are part of the broader Europe's Beating Cancer Plan and effort to reduce the vaccine-preventable cancers. Daniel Kelly and Margaret Stanley, co-chairs of the ECO HPV and Hep B Action Network, had this to say:
'The newly published Council Recommendation is welcome and shows a clear commitment from Member States to overcome current barriers and expand access to HPV and HBV vaccination. However, more can still be done, especially to increase HPV coverage by establishing a target for the vaccination of boys.' - Daniel Kelly
'Leveraging data-driven decision-making and setting clear vaccination targets represents a huge step forward. These recommendations can enhance our efforts to prevent vaccine-preventable cancers and protect future generations.’ – Margaret Stanley
These recommendations are crucial for advancing our efforts in cancer prevention across Europe. Find the full adopted document here.
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reports
June 2024
In the wake of increasing recognition of inequalities affecting healthcare, addressing inequalities in oncology for LGBTQI+ identities is a topic that has only recently received attention within the healthcare sphere. This report presents outcomes from a workshop organised by the Inequalities Network of the European Cancer Organisation, dedicated to exploring and addressing the inequalities faced by LGBTQI+ individuals within the realm of oncology.
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news
20 June 2024
To mark Pride Month, The European Cancer Organisation (ECO), through its Inequalities Network, has released a timely report on reducing disparities in cancer care faced by the LGBTQI+ community. The report, titled ‘Cancer Care for the LGBTQI+ Community: Addressing Inequalities’, is the result of a comprehensive workshop involving clinicians, researchers, policymakers, and LGBTQI+ advocates.
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