European Commission due to look at latest evidence

Europa Uomo and other organisations representing patients and urologists have welcomed the European Commission’s new Beating Cancer Plan, which places a strong emphasis on early detection. The Commission has said it will update the European Council’s recommendation on cancer screening – including the possible addition of new cancers such as prostate – by 2022.

The Beating Cancer Plan includes wide-ranging measures to prevent cancer and improve health literacy on cancer risk. Most relevant to prostate cancer, however, is a commitment to ensure that recommendations on screening reflect the latest evidence. Given that, the European Commission will consider the possibility of "extending targeted cancer screening beyond breast, colorectal and cervical cancer to include additional cancers, such as prostate, lung and gastric cancer”.

Reacting to the announcement, Europa Uomo issued a joint statement with the European Association of Urology, the European Cancer Patient Coalition and the European Randomised Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer.

“If Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan can harmonise an approach across the EU with regards to early detection of prostate cancer, we believe this will not only decrease mortality from prostate cancer but also support EU member states to sort out the current mess of opportunistic testing for prostate cancer, which has proven to be ineffective,” said the statement.

André Deschamps, the Europa Uomo Chair, said: “Reading the latest data on quality of life, there is no excuse left for politicians not to support early detection of prostate cancer.”