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Mission Cancer

“A mission is a set of actions aimed at achieving an ambitious and inspiring as well as quantifiable objective within a given timeframe, impacting on society and policy-making, ensuring relevance to a significant part of the European population and a wide range of European citizens.”

(Source: European Commission)
The name “Mission” is associated with the 1969 mission to the Moon. For that Mission all the efforts, capacities and knowledge were made worldwide to achieve the global objective of reaching the Moon, something which until then was only imaginary.

Why this Mission area?

Every year, 2.6 million people in 27 European countries die from cancer. This number is expected to increase rapidly due to the ageing European population, the unhealthy lifestyles that are followed and the unhealthy environmental conditions.

Faced with this reality, the need was recognised for the creation of a joint action to counter the predicted scenario of a 25% increase in cases by 2035.

Mission cancer:

BY 2030, MORE THAN 3 MILLION LIVES SAVED,
INCREASING THEIR LONGEVITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE

Ensuring Equitable Access

Preventing what is preventable

Optimising diagnosis and treatment

Supporting Quality of Life

Understanding

The Cancer Mission is focused on an effective reduction in the number of deaths from cancer, with the global objective: “By 2030, more than three million lives saved, increasing their longevity and quality of life”.

The Cancer Mission is being defined in alignment with the Beating Cancer Planset as one of the priorities of the European Commission, and with the EU4Health Programme.
More information in Mission Area: Cancer

Mission Cancer: Recommendations for Ambitious Actions

Understanding
  1. Launch UNCAN.eu – a European Initiative to Understand Cancer
  1. Develop an EU-wide research programme to identify (poly-) genic risk scores
PREVENTION
  1. Support the development and implementation of effective cancer prevention strategies and policies within Member States and the EU
  1. Optimise existing screening programmes and develop novel approaches for screening and early detection
Diagnostic and Treatment
  1. Advance and implement personalised medicine approaches for all cancer patients in Europe
  1. Develop an EU-wide research programme on early diagnostic and minimally invasive treatment technologies
Quality of Life
  1. Develop an EU-wide research programme and policy support to improve the quality of life of cancer patients and survivors, family members and carers, and all persons with an increased risk of cancer
  1. Create a European Cancer Patient Digital Centre where cancer patients and survivors can deposit and sham their data for personalised care
Equitable Access
  1. Achieve Cancer Flealth Equity in the EU across the continuum of the disease
  1. Set up a network of Comprehensive Cancer Infrastructures within and across all EU Member States to increase quality of research and care
Cross-cutting Actions
  1. Childhood cancers and cancers in adolescents and young adults: cure more and cure better
  1. Accelerate innovation and implementation of new technologies and create Oncology-focused Living Labs to conquer cancer
  1. Transform cancer culture, communication and capacity building