Cancer is a major cause of death throughout Europe.

Screening – or the testing of people

who do not display any symptoms –

makes it possible to detect cancers

at an early stage.

This increases treatment options

and can save lives.

Yet, coverage of the target population

ranges across the EU:

from 6% to 90% for breast cancer screening,

and from about 25% to 80%

for cervical cancer screening.

This is unacceptable.

Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan

proposes a new EU-supported

Cancer Screening Scheme

to help Member States increase access,

reduce inequalities

and ensure that 90% of the EU population

who qualify for breast, cervical

and colorectal cancer screenings

are offered screening by 2025.

The existing Council recommendations

are now 20 years old

and much has advanced in the meantime.

The European Commission is proposing

to update the recommendations

to take into account new evidence and technologies

and to expand organised

cancer screening programmes

to include lung, prostate

and under certain circumstances

gastric cancer screening.

This should help further reduce disease burden

and mortality.