The end of 2022 saw several initiatives in oncology in Europe that, if successfully implemented, could radically improve European cancer research and patient care.

The recently launched European Groundshot Commission, which includes new data on cancer research activity and outcomes across Europe during the past 12 years, proposes an evidence-based, patient-centered cancer research roadmap for Europe.

The Commission shows that cancer is the leading cause of premature mortality and a major economic burden in many European countries and highlights notable disparities in optimal cancer control between western European and central and eastern European countries. Leukaemia and Hodgkin’s lymphoma were listed among the cancers responsible for the greatest number of avoidable deaths in central and eastern Europe in 2016. Deaths due to Hodgkin lymphoma decreased across all geographical areas between 2010 and 2016, although deaths due to multiple myeloma increased in central and eastern European countries during the same period. These trends make sense considering the existing geographical disparities in healthcare resources and the high price of optimal multiple myeloma treatments. One of the Commission’s ambitions is that all patients, no matter where they live, will benefit equally from advances in cancer research, which will require investment in research capability and capacity in underserved regions. Another important initiative that could improve treatment disparities is the ASCERTAIN consortium. Including the European Hematology Society as a partner, ASCERTAIN aims to improve affordable access to high-cost therapies across Europe by helping policymakers and payers to make the best decisions on pricing and reimbursement.

The Commission is a call to action to end care inequalities across Europe and prioritize patient-centered care in Europe and beyond. Hematologists should seek the opportunities available to shape the research and clinical agenda, and to continue the outstanding contribution of this field to European cancer research and expand the possibilities that cellular therapies offer in the clinical management of all other cancer types.1

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References

  1. The Lancet Haematology. (2023). Strengthening cancer care in Europe. The Lancet Haematology, 10(1), e1. https://doi.org/10.1016/s2352-3026(22)00380-5

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