Cancer research must become a greater priority in order to avoid a European ‘epidemic’, experts warn today.
In a new *Lancet Oncology* commission report, lead author Professor Mark Lawler of Queen’s University Belfast, UK, and colleagues make predictions for the next decade.
They cover a range of weaknesses in cancer health systems as well as the underfunding of cancer research, particularly in prevention and early diagnosis, radiotherapy and surgery.
The report, European Groundshot – addressing Europe’s cancer research challenges, states that an estimated one million cancer diagnoses have been missed across Europe in the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Professor Lawler said: “With the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, Brexit, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it is more important than ever that Europe develops a resilient cancer research landscape to play a transformative role in improving prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and quality-of-life for current and future patients and those living beyond cancer.
“We saw a chilling effect on cancer research with laboratories shut down and clinical trials delayed or cancelled in the first pandemic wave. We are concerned that Europe is heading towards a cancer epidemic in the next decade if cancer health systems and cancer research are not urgently prioritised.”
The commission calls on the European cancer research community to accelerate the research response to the indirect impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer, and “ensure that cancer is appropriately protected and prioritised within current and future European research agendas”.
Co-author Dr Andreas Charalambous, President of the European Cancer Organisation, adds: “There is already a burgeoning east-west divide in European cancer research and it’s crucial the Russia-Ukraine war does not cause this gap to grow.”
Lawler, M. et al. European Groundshot – addressing Europe’s cancer research challenges: a Lancet Oncology Commission. *Lancet* 15 November 2022; doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(22)00540-X
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