Cancer
Cancer is the most important cause of death and morbidity in Europe after cardiovascular diseases. Cancer is in many cases avoidable, and early detection increases the chance of cure substantially. WHO/Europe assists countries to develop national programmes for cancer control. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is the WHO body that specializes in this field. It coordinates and conducts research on causes and develops scientific strategies for cancer prevention and control.
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World Cancer Day: action for protection against cervical cancerCervical cancer is among the most common types of cancer affecting women in the WHO European Region, with 69 000 new cases and 30 000 deaths estimated for 2018 alone. Yet unlike most other types of cancer, it is vaccine-preventable.
News
- Member States urged to ramp up fight against noncommunicable diseases
- WHO urges stronger action to reduce deaths from noncommunicable diseases in Europe by one third
- Noncommunicable diseases and air pollution
In focus
1 in 100 women in Europe will develop cervical cancer
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the primary cause of cervical cancer. It is a highly contagious infection that is transmitted through sexual or skin-to-skin contact.
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Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases in the WHO European Region 2016–2025
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Key resource
International Agency for Research on CancerAgency to promote international collaboration in cancer research
Data and statistics
20%
The percentage of deaths caused by cancer in the European Region
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