Boosting Innovation and Cooperation in European Cancer Control - Key Findings from the EPAAC JA

Key Contextual Factors

• The European Commission proposed the European Partnership for Action Against Cancer for the period 2009-2013 to support Member States in their efforts to tackle cancer, providing a framework for identifying and sharing information, capacity and expertise, and engaging relevant stakeholders across the European Union in a collective effort to control cancer. With activities running from early 2011 to early 2014, the EPAAC Joint Action has spanned work in the fields of cancer prevention and health promotion; health communication; screening and early diagnosis; healthcare, coordination of cancer research; cancer information and data; and National Cancer Control Programmes.

Key Components/Steps

In the publication different topics related to cancer are covered:

• European week against cancer
• Online social media as a tool to improve cancer prevention and health promotion
• Secondary cancer prevention: screening
• European perspective in cancer treatment
• Building a unified European Cancer Information System to bolster cancer control
• Towards innovative models to improve cancer research coordination and outcomes in Europe
• Development of National Cancer Control Programmes in the EU
• European Partnership for the Action Against Cancer…just the beginning

Main Impacts / Added Value

• The approach of the European Partnership for the Action Against Cancer was to bring together European stakeholders with a common aim and commitment to reduce cancer, focusing on actions that can be taken at EU level. This publication presents the key outcomes of the work in the framework of the European Partnership for the Action Against Cancer Joint Action. The contents of the chapters, with many examples of good practice, provide assistance to Member States in the organization of healthcare in the field of cancer.

Lessons Learned

• Given the great interest shown by European Member States and various organizations around the world, EPAAC JA has shown that cancer is recognized as a major public health problem in many countries and that cooperation in this area is highly desirable. In three years, with around 140 partners, a considerable amount of work has been completed, covering a broad range of activities – from health promotion and cancer prevention to cancer related health care, from screening to research. EPAAC JA was the first of three JA projects in the field of cancer co-financed by the European Commission and the countries themselves.

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