Launch of the European Colon Cancer Campaign

It is organised by Prevent Cancer Partnership.

The European Parliament event was chaired by Alojz Peterle MEP (EPP, SLO) the EP Rapporteur for the Cancer Partnership Report. He highlighted the role screening plays in saving lives and mentioned the European Commission Communication on Action against Cancer (2009) as effective tools that will permit to reduce the burden of cancer in general, and colon cancer in particular.

Ms Lynn Faulds Wood, a UK TV presenter who, after having survived colon cancer, decided to make medical programmes participated in the world’s first research-based guidelines on symptoms of colon cancer adopted by the UK Department of Health and helped to launch screening programmes in several EU countries. Ms Faulds Wood was pleased to see so many actions being developed in EU countries but stressed the need for further and better development of prevention and screening.

Josep M. Borras, Scientific Coordinator of the Cancer Strategy at the Spanish Ministry of Health and Social Policy, shared with the audience recent statistics on colon cancer in Spain as well as the actions put into place to reverse its predominance. Scientific evidence has proven that colon cancer is linked to meat intake and physical activity levels, therefore the Spanish government works on a global approach including these determinants. He concluded his intervention by saying that screening makes sense as part of a global approach that includes primary prevention and healthcare measures.

Ms Antonyia Parvanova MEP (ALDE, BU) gave a quick presentation during which she expressed her support to the Campaign and highlighted that little effort can save time, lives and money. She added that public fundings need to be rationalised according to the prevalence of certain diseases.

Ms Nessa Childers MEP (S&D, IE) described the situation in Ireland where people may need to wait 9 months to do a colonoscopy and often die before having the time to consult a doctor.

In parallel, Liz Lynne MEP (ALDE, UK) shared the latest figures pertaining to the English situation and pointed out that there is no reason for people to be scared of doing a coloscopy, which in too many cases is the reason why people do not consult specialists.

Michel Coleman, Professor of Epidemiology and Vital Statistics at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, presented the patterns of cancer in Europe today. While cancer-related deaths are increasing in Eastern European countries, they are decreasing in Western Europe. He highlighted the multifaceted character of cancer and therefore the need to tackle it globally by further developing prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cares.

The last speaker, Mr Lawrence von Karsa, Coordinator of the European Cancer Network gave a quick presentation on the state of screening in EU countries.

Facts and figures

330,000 persons are diagnosed with colon cancer in the EU every year and almost half of them die. 50% of these deaths are preventable, which makes colon cancer the most avoidable and curable cancer. However, too many people are still dying of it every year.

For further information:

European Commission page on cancer

EPHA related articles:

 article 4005
 *Updated* EPHA recommendations to European Parliament Report on European Action Against Cancer
 *Updated* First meeting of the Partnership for Action against Cancer
 *Updated* European Union Action Against Cancer