The Europe Against Cancer programme launched in 1985 had an ambitious goal to reduce the expected number of deaths due to cancer by 15% (from 1 000 000 to 850 000) by the year 2000.
The programme was implemented through a partnership approach with scientific experts, cancer charities and anti-smoking groups, health media, health professionals and national civil servants. The focus was on three main areas : prevention, screening, and education and training.
A recently published review in the Annals of Oncology indicated that although this target was not met across the EU a global 10% reduction in number of deaths expected in men and 8% in women was achieved. Some countries hit the 15% reduction in deaths (Austria and Finland) but Portugal and Greece had the poorest performance with increases in each gender group.
The report concludes that renewed tobacco control efforts are clearly needed for women, and there is a strong case for the introduction of organized breast and cervix screening programmes in all member states. Continuing to emphasize prevention within cancer control will help to promote the continuing decline in death rates in the future.
