Proactive Prostates Initiative Call to Action
to prevent deaths from prostate cancer in Europe

The following Call to Action has been prepared by a coalition of groups, coordinated by Europa Uomo, and is being circulated to the advocacy community for your support. You can sign up to the Call to Action here:

Prostate cancer is the most frequent diagnosed form of cancer in men, accounting for 24.1% of all cases and the third leading cause of cancer deaths in 10.4% of men in the EU25 in 2006.

The figures on incidence and mortality become comparable to breast cancer in 2006. Prostate cancer will become the leading cancer in terms of incidence in the near future.

 

  Men PCa Women BrCa
  Incidence Mortality Incidence Mortality
2004 202,1 68,2 275,1 88,4
2006 301,5 67,8 319,9 85,3

Europa 25* thousands, IARC

 
Prostate cancers diagnosed by screening do not always need treatment and active surveillance is a reasonable option in selected patients. An individualised approach to treatment is advised since there is a possibility of overdiagnosis in 30% of patients compared with underdiagnosis in 15% of patients. However PCa can only be cured when it is treated in its early stages i.e. when the disease is organ-confined. Hormonal therapy, an important treatment, impacts on the quality of life but the side effects can be reduced by physical activity, nutrition and psychological support.

CALL TO ACTION

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Use this form or e-mail us to:
call-to-action@europa-uomo.org

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“I urge society to sit up and take notice of prostate cancer so that we can beat this disease, yes we can”, said Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the South African Nobel Peace Prize Laureate who has had prostate cancer, and fully supports the call to action

We have been encouraged by advances in prevention, diagnosis and management of prostate cancer, which have the potential to significantly reduce this burden in Europe.

However, a recent international survey indicated that although awareness of prostate cancer is improving:
 • Over half of people questioned are not aware that prostate and breast cancer have a similar prevalence
 • One in ten people surveyed thought that prostate cancer affects both men and women equally (when in fact only men have prostates)
 • Approximately, half of men underestimate their risk of developing prostate cancer.

We recognise that only a comprehensive strategy will ensure that men at risk are diagnosed earlier and receive optimal treatment with holistic care on an individual basis.

 

Hence, we call for the commitment and action necessary for men to have timely access to the right treatment. Specifically, we call on:
 • Recognition by governments of the morbidity and mortality burdens of prostate cancer, so that it can be made a higher priority in their health agenda.
 • Commitment from governments to ensuring sustainable support for basic research for a new biomarker and clinical research on treatment comparison.
 • Health professionals to educate their patients about the risk factors for prostate cancer, such as family history, ensuring those at risk are given appropriate information
 • Physicians to tailor treatment according to the individual patient, avoiding over- and under-treatment, through appropriate use of PSA testing to ensure that men receive the right treatment
 • Society to come together to build partnerships in helping to reduce the burden of the disease as well as identify common action and reducing the existing inequalities on access to treatment.

We commit to achieving these aims by working with all relevant partners to communicate these messages to appropriate policy makers and healthcare professionals.

 

Sign the Proactive Prostates Initiative Call to Action
We call upon governments, public health institutions, health care workers, and members of civil society to join this Call to Action. Together we must work towards ensuring that all men have access to the best possible information and treatment.

This group encourages interested parties to sign the Call to Action.

References

Boyle P, Ferlay J. Cancer incidence and mortality in Europe, 2004. Annals of Oncology 2005; 16: 481-488.

Ferlay J, Autier P, Boniol M et al. Estimates of the Cancer Incidence and Mortality in Europe in 2006. Annals of Oncology 2007; 18: 581-592.

JM Fitzpatrick, RS Kirby, CL Brough et al. Awareness of prostate cancer among patients and the general public: results of an international survey. Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases (2009), 1–8

European Association of Urology Guidelines 2009, Gelderland BV Arnhem, The Netherland, March 2009.

MEPs Against Cancer Statement (MAC statement). Signed at 1st MAC conference
'Making Cancer a Priority' in the European Parliament on March 22, 2006.

ECPC Cancer Patient Summit report 'Making Cancer a Priority at the European
National and Regional level', April 2008.

These activities are made possible through an unrestricted educational grant
from the European Association of Urology and GlaxoSmithKline.