Europa Uomo Chairman urges regional action on cancer plans

Prostate cancer needs to be a priority at regional and national level if each country is to have an effective cancer plan, Europa Uomo Chairman André Deschamps told policy makers attending the European Union's Committee of the Regions last week.

Addressing the committee on behalf of the Let’s Talk Prostate Cancer coalition’s Expert Group, he said that regional policy makers were key actors in improving the lives of patients.

“Despite the scale of the disease, with more than two million people living with it, prostate cancer has not yet received the attention it deserves,” he said. “Prostate cancer has not been prioritised at EU level.”

Therefore the Expert Group of the coalition was calling on regional policy makers to ensure that prostate cancer was made a priority regionally, and was included in all cancer plans.

“We advocate for all national cancer programmes and activities to explicitly address the needs of people living with prostate cancer, including those in its advanced stage,” said André Deschamps.

“Early diagnosis and early-stage intervention are crucial to reduce the risks of complications, and help enable those affected to live with a better quality of life.”

“Additionally, health services are not designed in a way that can properly respond to the increasing needs of prostate cancer patients, as they still experience fragmented care, wasted resources and delays in treatment.”

The Let’s Talk Prostate Cancer Expert Group is organised and funded by Astellas Pharma and Pfizer. Its actions are led by Europa Uomo, the European Oncology Nursing Society, the European Cancer Patient Coalition, the European Association of Urology and the European Association of Urology Nurses.