World Cancer Day: Solidarity, Prevention & Screening Vital in Fight against Cancer

Luxembourg's Ministry of Health has recalled the importance of solidarity in the context of both the COVID-19 pandemic and World Cancer Day, an international day marked annually on 4 February.

In Luxembourg, cancer is the leading cause of death in men and the second leading cause in women. Although medicine has made tremendous progress, cancer remains a huge public health challenge and a huge burden on those affected and their families.

The fight against cancer in Luxembourg has had major successes in recent years, particularly in connection with the projects undertaken within the framework of the first national cancer plan between 2014 and 2018. The creation of new organisational infrastructures, such as the National Center of Genetics (NCG)  within the National Health Laboratory (Laboratoire National de Santé - LNS) and the National Cancer Institute (Institut national du Cancer - INC), as well as the development of national standards and patient pathways for highly prevalent cancers are examples of these successes, as is the implementation of a national programme for the early detection of colorectal cancer and the establishment of national multidisciplinary consultation meetings.

The Ministry of Health recalled that, in order to achieve further success in the fight against cancer and to move forward in a targeted manner, it is important to make an inventory of the strengths and weaknesses of the health system in cancer management. Consequently, the INC has drawn up a national cancer report for 2020.

This is the first report of such magnitude in the field of oncology. Offering a panoramic view of the oncology landscape in Luxembourg, the report is considered to be of great importance in the context of public health policy, as well as for all national organisations working in this field.

Luxembourg's Minister of Health Paulette Lenert added: “Indeed, by offering not only a retrospective view of the activities that have already been implemented, but also an inventory of the initiatives currently in place, it provides rich and interesting data allowing the development of the strategy for the fight against cancer in the future. This report will also be of great use to our European and international partners”.

The 2020 cancer report is intended to depict the situation at the end of the first national cancer plan 2014-18. It is part of a pan-European approach; the European Commission has placed cancer among its five priority research missions.

Dr. Guy Berchem, President of INC, commented: “This report is structured around all the essential axes of the field of cancerology, public health, epidemiology, cancer registries, primary and secondary prevention, organisation of care, quality of care, research and the relationship with patients". He continued: "The 2020 cancer report constitutes a basis or starting point for the second national cancer plan 2020-2024 which has just started. It is aimed at the general public as well as experts in the various fields. Its aim is to inform the reader about various aspects linked to cancerology and cancer care in Luxembourg”.

Nevertheless, the health authorities recalled that, in the fight against cancer, prevention and screening efforts are vital. In fact, a healthy lifestyle can prevent 40% of diseases. This includes eating a healthy diet, getting regular physical activity and reducing known risk factors. As for screening, the earlier the disease is diagnosed, the greater the chances of being cured.

The Ministry of Health stressed that cancer does not stop because of coronavirus. For fear of contracting the virus or taking the place of another "sicker" patient, many patients postpone their screening appointments or stop their cancer treatment. The Health Minister insisted: “Do your x-ray exams! An anomaly or suspicion of cancer is an emergency. Not doing it or postponing it is a waste of opportunity. And don't be afraid to go to the hospital. In hospitals, all health measures are fully respected".