To mark the 30th anniversary of the first European action against cancer, a ceremony entitled "30 years Europe against Cancer", organised jointly by the European Commission and the Luxembourg Presidency, was held in Luxembourg on 15 September 2015.
The high-level event was an opportunity to take stock of the many successes achieved and discuss future actions in the field of cancer, an illness the fight against which has been a priority of European public health policy for 30 years now.
At a June 1985 meeting in Milan and December 1985 meeting in Luxembourg, the Heads of State and Government of 12 EU Member States decided to launch the first 'Europe Aginst Cancer', an initiative introducing an important new dimension to tackling cancer by creating a closer link between Europe and the concerns of its citizens.
"For three decades the European action against cancer has focused on prevention, screening and control," explained European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Vytenis Andriukaitis. "Prevention policies and access to early diagnosis are crucial. They can change a lifetime. The 30th anniversary is an opportunity for all of us - the EU, national governments and stakeholders - to renew our common commitment to making prevention, equality and quality of life a reality for all".
The Health Minister, Lydia Mutsch, stressed that "Luxembourg was from the beginning a strong advocate of a joint European action in health and particularly in the fight against cancer. This common European action and a partnership approach may indeed help avoid inefficient actions and duplication and contribute to a better use of available resources."
Cancer remains a serious threat, representing the leading cause of death among men in Luxembourg since 2010. It is thought that about 1/3 of cancers could be prevented through the adoption of a more healthy lifestyle and avoiding key risk factors. "For Luxembourg, horizontal action on key determinants of health is a priority, as are interdepartmental action programmes and strategies in the field of food and physical activity, in the fight against tobacco and alcohol," commented Lydia Mutsch.
Since 1992, the Grand Duchy has has a national breast cancer screening programme in place for women aged between 50 and 69 years, based on European guidelines. This programme could signify an increase in early detection from 9% to about 70% among the target group.
In July 2014, the Luxembourg government adopted a National Plan against Cancer 2014 to 2018, which includes 73 different actions covering the areas of governance, health promotion, prevention and early detection, diagnosis, treatment, support and rehabilitation resources for health, patient rights and research.
The plan will be monitored and evaluated on the basis of indicators developed by the project and EUROCHIP data will be collected by the National Cancer Registry, created in 2013.
On the sidelines of the official ceremony, a campaign was organised in the Place d'Armes, offering information stands of various foundations and associations working in the field of health (Fondation Cancer, Fondation Kriibskrank Kanner, Europa Donna Luxembourg, Luxembourg Association of oncological sports groups, EU Ex-smokers and the Ministry of Health).
Photo by Ministry of Health (L-R: Vytenis Andriukaitis ; Lydia Mutsch)
