Responding to the challenge of cancer in Europe

The term ‘cancer’ is commonly used to cover a wide range of diseases which all share a common feature, namely that cells in affected organs or tissues of the body (e.g. breast, lung, skin or bone marrow) continue to grow indefinitely, without reference to the needs of the body. Many cancers have the capacity to spread to other parts of the body and to kill the patient. With more than 3 million new cases and 1.7 million deaths each year, cancer currently represents the second most important cause of death and morbidity in Europe.

This volume, published under the Slovenian Presidency of the European Union, is a review of the current status of cancer control in the European Union. The aim was to summarize the evidence that should underpin policy for the prevention, management and palliation of cancer in Europe. The book has been produced as a collaborative effort between internationally recognized public health institutes in the European Union, under the umbrella Fighting Against Cancer Today (FACT). FACT is co-funded by the Government of Slovenia and the European Commission’s Health and Consumer Protection Directorate, with additional support from the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies.