Cancer Initiatives​

Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan

In 2021, the European Commission presented Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, designed to improve cancer prevention, treatment, and care throughout the continent. This comprehensive plan acknowledges the evolving challenges posed by cancer and identifies remarkable opportunities to surmount them. By fostering stronger cooperation, it intends to bridge existing disparities, aiming to redefine the way cancer is addressed on a European scale, ultimately leading to improved health outcomes for patients across Europe. By aligning efforts and resources, it aims to pave the way for a healthier and more resilient future for all citizens of Europe.

The Plan tackles the entire disease pathway. It is structured around four key action areas where the European Union can add the most value: (1) prevention; (2) early detection; (3) diagnosis and treatment; and (4) quality of life of cancer patients and survivors.

Since its launch, implementation has progressed significantly, with more than 90% of actions completed or underway and over EUR 2.7 billion invested in prevention, screening, treatment and patient support. Key achievements include the adoption of the updated EU Council Recommendation on cancer screening in 2022, the European Cancer Imaging Initiative, and continued investment through Horizon Europe’s Cancer Mission to translate research into improved patient outcomes.

In 2026, the Commission also updated the European Code Against Cancer, reinforcing evidence-based recommendations on cancer prevention through healthier lifestyles, vaccination and screening.

At the political level, discussions on the future of the Plan are ongoing. Following an implementation review identifying both achievements and remaining gaps, the European Parliament’s Committee on Public Health (SANT) published a draft own-initiative report calling for continued ambition, including a proposal to earmark at least EUR 2 billion under the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) to ensure the long-term implementation of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan.

The ESR strongly supports the implementation of the Plan, particularly its focus on improving access to high-quality cancer screening and the European Cancer Imaging Initiative, which will facilitate the secure sharing of anonymised medical images to advance research and clinical practice.

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European Cancer Imaging Initiative

The European Cancer Initiative is a flagship of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and aims to leverage the potential of data and digital technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), or High-Performance Computing (HPC), to combat cancer, by advancing research and fostering innovation in cancer treatment and care.

A key aspect of the Initiative is showcasing how medical images can be accessed, used, and shared while upholding high ethical standards, trust, security, and personal data protection in line with EU values and regulations. By enabling more precise and rapid clinical decision-making, diagnostics, treatments, and predictive medicine for cancer patients, the Initiative aims to connect resources and databases within an open, user-friendly infrastructure of cancer images accessible to all stakeholders. This effort will define accessible and integrated cancer imaging datasets, fostering collaboration and progress in the fight against cancer as well as it supports the European data strategy and the goals of the European Health Data Space.

The European Institute for Biomedical Imaging Research (EIBIR), ESR’s research management organisation supporting biomedical imaging research, is coordinating the European Federation for Cancer Images (EUCAIM) project, a 4-years project (2023-2026) which serves as the cornerstone of the European Cancer Imaging Initiative. This groundbreaking project aims to harness the potential of imaging and AI for precision medicine, benefiting cancer patients and citizens across Europe and driving advancements in cancer care and research.

The project is a comprehensive endeavour that unites clinical data providers, researchers, and innovators, to establish a pan-European digital infrastructure of FAIR cancer-related, de-identified images. This infrastructure not only preserves data sovereignty for providers but also serves as a dynamic platform, featuring an Atlas of Cancer Images, to facilitate the development and benchmarking of AI tools for precision medicine.

Ultimately, by leveraging existing cancer image repositories and fostering connections between resources and databases across the EU, the project addresses fragmentation while upholding high ethical standards, trust, security, and data protection. It aims to bridge EU-level and national initiatives, hospital networks, and research repositories, integrating imaging data and other relevant health information for enhanced collaboration and progress in cancer research and treatment.

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EU Cancer Screening Recommendation

Following the European Commission’s proposal to enhance cancer prevention through early detection, the Council of the European Union has adopted a new approach on cancer screening in December 2022. This approach updates previous provisions and recommends a broader range of screening tests and protocols. It also suggests extending screening programmes to additional target groups and cancer types, taking into account new evidence and technological advancements.

More specifically, the EU Cancer Screening Scheme, a flagship initiative under Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, aimed at ensuring that 90% of eligible individuals in the EU will be offered breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screenings by 2025. Furthermore, the approach outlined a stepwise plan to extend screening programmes to include prostate, lung, and, under certain conditions, gastric cancer.

The ESR welcomed the proposals and the broadening of screening programmes to encompass lung, prostate, and gastric cancer and anticipates collaborating with other European health stakeholders to ensure successful implementation and to facilitate the understanding, acceleration, and harmonisation of the updated cancer screening protocols across all Member States.

In detail, the EU approach recommends lowering the age limit to 45 and extending the upper age limit to 74 for mammography screening, while HPV testing is suggested for cervical cancer screening in women aged 30 to 65, and quantitative FIT is proposed for colorectal cancer screening in individuals aged 50 to 74. The recommendation further encourages exploring low-dose computed tomography for high-risk individuals on lung cancer and evaluating organised PSA testing with MRI follow-up for prostate cancer in men. It also advises implementing screen-and-test strategies for Helicobacter pylori in regions with high gastric cancer incidence and mortality.

The Recommendation requires Member States to report on how they are implementing the updated approach to EU Cancer Screening within three years of the adoption of the Recommendation and, subsequently, every four years.

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SAMIRA Action Plan

Introduced in February 2021, the Strategic Agenda for Medical Ionising Radiation Applications (SAMIRA) stands as a pivotal component within the framework of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan. The Action Plan encompasses three principal fields: securing the supply of medical radioisotopes, improving radiation quality and safety in medicine, and facilitating innovation and the technological development of medical ionising radiation applications.

Nuclear and radiation sciences and technologies are indispensable in the battle against cancer, exerting substantial influence across every facet of care for cancer patients, ranging from early detection and diagnosis to treatment and palliative care. The SAMIRA Action Plan aims to ensure access to these technologies at the highest safety standards.

The ESR EuroSafe Imaging and the European Institute for Biomedical Imaging Research (EIBIR), contribute to the actions laid down by the SAMIRA Action plan, driving multiple projects in collaboration with various organisations, professional societies, and stakeholders, all aimed at increasing quality and safety of imaging in clinical practice and promoting collaboration across the field.

As part of this overarching effort, the EU-REST study was dedicated to conducting a comprehensive analysis of workforce availability, education, and training needs within the EU. Likewise, the EU-JUST-CT initiative focused on elevating the justification standards for computed tomography across Europe by means of coordinated actions.

In parallel, the SIMPLERAD project led by EIBIR, worked to improve EU citizens’ access to top-tier and safe nuclear technologies in the realm of medicine. Beyond identifying barriers to implementation, the project developed practical recommendations to help overcome these challenges and support the effective uptake of innovative nuclear medicine technologies.

The MARLIN study aimed to improve reporting and learning from patient-related incidents and near misses in radiotherapy, interventional cardiology, nuclear medicine and interventional and diagnostic radiology.

Collectively, these initiatives signify a dedicated commitment to advancing the safety, quality, and accessibility of medical imaging technologies in Europe.

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