Inequalities Network
Contact the NetworkThis network aims to bring together the cancer community and wider civil society to reduce disparities in cancer care between countries, regions, and social groups and foster equity and the best outcomes for all people across Europe.
Recent efforts include:
European Cancer Summit 2024 Session: United Against Cancer Inequalities - Forging Fair Cancer Outcomes for All
Tracking Inequalities in Cancer
The European Cancer Pulse is a unique data visualisation tool supported by this network. Amplifying data from the best available international sources, it puts a spotlight on inequalities throughout the cancer pathway linked to social determinants and illustrates where researchers and policy-makers must take effective action.
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Key insights from the Pulse regarding social inequalities in cancer include:
- There is a 20% gap in access to breast cancer screening according to income levels in the EU, and that gap reaches 80% in certain countries;
- 89% of oncologists believe transgender people are at risk of discrimination in healthcare.
Learn more at europeancancerpulse.org.
ECO partners with national cancer organisations across Europe to develop a range of Country Reports. These one-page factsheets combine expert insights and the latest data from the European Cancer Pulse.
Report on Inclusive Cancer Care Policies to Address LGBTIQ Community
To mark Pride Month 2024, ECO's Inequalities Network released a timely report on reducing disparities in cancer care faced by the LGBTIQ community.
The report, titled ‘Cancer Care for the LGBTIQ Community: Addressing Inequalities’, is the result of a comprehensive workshop involving clinicians, researchers, patient representatives, and LGBTIQ advocates.
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Key recommendations include:
- developing cancer screening programmes based on body parts and/or sex characteristics of the individuals rather than on the gender markers on their identity documents;
- revising clinical guidelines to depathologise LGBTIQ identities and supporting adequate personalised medicine plans;
- enhancing training programmes to enhance healthcare professionals’ cultural competence and understanding of LGBTIQ health needs.
Women and Cancer
Every year more than 1.2 million women are diagnosed with cancer in the European Union, with nearly 600,000 losing their lives. As of now, the European Cancer Information System (ECIS) reports that 12 million women in Europe are living with cancer.
The Women and Cancer workstream looks to address the unique inequities faced by women who experience a cancer diagnosis, women working in the cancer sector, and women who provide care to persons with cancer.
Workshop on Social Inequalities in Cancer
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Our all-day workshop in March 2024 brought together a variety of civil society organisations representing marginalised communities and vulnerable groups to listen to their experiences of social disparities in cancer systems and drive tangible change across Europe.
Participants discussed healthcare barriers, research priorities, and policy actions to address inequities in cancer care.
The workshop was attended by representatives from the Medical University Vienna, FEANTSA, the European Disability Forum, ILGA-Europe, the CHAIN research centre, the EU Joint Research Centre, DG SANTE, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, OII Europe, EQUINET, EPHA, Africa Advocacy Foundation, Transgender Europe and Combat Poverty Service.
Action on Men and Cancer
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There is an urgent need for action on all gender-related cancer inequalities, yet the issue of men’s cancers is not being addressed effectively by policymakers.
ECO, The European Association of Urology (EAU) and Global Action on Men’s Health (GAMH) launched a joint Roadmap for Improvement on this issue in November 2023 titled ‘Time to Accelerate: Action on Men and Cancer’.
Additional Activities
The many reports and responses from this network include:
- The European Cancer Roadmap to 2030 ‘Time to Accelerate: Together Against Cancer’
- ECO’s response to the European Commission Consultation on Disability and Parking Cards
- ECO’s Action Report: It Can Be Done – Beating Inequalities in Cancer Care
- Implementing the European Code of Cancer Practice in rural settingsImplementing the European Code of Cancer Practice in rural settings
Promoting Key Rights of Cancer Patients and Survivors
This network is aligned with the European Code of Cancer Practice, produced by a team of cancer patients, patient advocates and cancer professionals, and launched in October 2020. It sets out a series of 10 key overarching rights, and in particular signposts what patients should expect from their health system to achieve the best possible outcomes.
For instance, all cancer patients have a right to equal access to affordable and optimal cancer care, including the right to a second opinion.
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Background
A core objective of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan is to reduce cancer inequalities across Europe, as differences in cancer survival can still exceed 30% between certain countries. Such levels of disparity between countries and regions concerning cancer prevention, control, access to treatment and survival can no longer be ignored.
Inequalities also occur within countries and among social groups, with particular impacts on marginalised communities and vulnerable groups.
The Network on Inequalities, led by Co-Chairs Nicolò Matteo Luca Battisti and Sarah Collen, fosters collaboration of all relevant stakeholders to better understand all drivers of cancer inequalities and achieve concrete actions to address them.
Our Inequalities Network dedicates itself to driving consensus, presenting policy recommendations and solutions, and sharing best practices concerning cancer inequalities due to:
- geographical differences between countries and regions across Europe;
- social determinants, including socioeconomic status, gender, age, ethnicity, sexuality and identity and belonging to marginalised communities or vulnerable groups.
Prominent current workstreams within the network focus on disparities relating to gender, the LGBTIQ community and ethnicity.
