At present, with more than 3 million new cases and 1.7 million deaths each year, cancer represents the second most important cause of death and morbidity in Europe. Without effective interventions, the cancer burden will increase dramatically. However, comprehensive cancer prevention and control policies can bring significant benefits. For these reasons, Slovenia decided to focus on cancer as the key public health priority during its Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2008. A key step was to review the current status of cancer control in the EU in order to produce policy recommendations for those concerned with the prevention, management and palliation of cancer. This book is the result. It has been produced as a collaboration between internationally recognized public health institutes in the EU, under the umbrella Fighting Against Cancer Today (FACT).

The book provides an overview of the epidemiology of cancer, including a discussion of the major risk factors. Comprehensive cancer plans are discussed as an approach to cancer control. Contributors examine the current status and plausible future developments for cancer screening in the EU; drug discovery, evaluation and deployment; the role of psychosocial oncology; and the provision of palliative care. Current patterns of cancer survival and the challenges facing cancer researchers in Europe today are examined.

Three case-studies are provided. One focuses on changes in the clinical management of cancer, using the example of colorectal cancer in France. Two broader descriptions of cancer control evoke the current situation, recent achievements and continuing challenges in eastern Europe and in Slovenia.

The editors:

Michel P Coleman is Professor of Epidemiology and Vital Statistics at the London School of Hygiene and
Tropical Medicine

Delia-Marina Alexe is a Research Fellow in the Non-communicable Disease Epidemiology Unit at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Tit Albreht is a researcher in health services and Adviser to the Director of the Institute of Public Health of the Republic of Slovenia

Martin McKee is Professor of European Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine