The overall objective of EUCanScreen is to ensure the sustainable implementation of high quality screening for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer, as well as the implementation of recently recommended screening programs for lung, prostate and gastric cancers. EUCanScreen will facilitate the reduction of the cancer burden and the achievement of equity across the EU.
Specific objectives:
Seven specific objectives have been set for EUCanScreen:
1) Ensure full implementation of evidence-based, cost-effective and quality-assured screening programs for breast, cervical and colorectal cancers;
2) Prepare for the implementation of evidence-based, cost-effective and quality-assured screening programs for lung, prostate and stomach cancers;
3) Ensure adequate governance and sustainability of the programs;
4) Ensure better quality, more timely and comparable data collection and monitoring of screening programs;
5) Ensure equal access of eligible EU citizens to screening programs and reduce inequalities in the fight against cancer;
6) Ensure capacity building in cancer screening,
7) To ensure collaboration and coherence with related projects funded by EU programs.
The EUCanScreen work plan has been based on the results of previous and current major EU activities in screening; it is designed in eleven closely interrelated work packages.
WP1: Project coordination
The aim of this work package is to ensure the successful implementation of EUCanScreen, including the necessary reporting requirements.
WP2: Dissemination
Implementation of activities to inform the target audience and stakeholders about the results of EUCanScreen and to encourage their support and adoption of the project recommendations.
WP3: Evaluation
Focused on documenting this JA application using traceable criteria and data and contributing to the achievement of JA objectives through feedback.
WP4: Sustainability
Ensure sustainable implementation of project results in participating countries and improve sustainable implementation of organized, population-based cancer screening programs in countries of the European region where such programs are not yet implemented or are implemented in a way that is not producing the expected impact.
WP 5: Follow-up
Improve existing and develop new standards for data exchange and standardization between countries to improve monitoring and comparison of screening programs and to enable cross-border research with screening data.
WP 6: Addressing
Coordinate and support activities that reduce inequalities in access and quality of breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening programs and care services in Europe.
WP 7: Implementation
Provide tools and recommendations and reach consensus on essential processes to close the gap between current knowledge and practice in population-based cancer screening programs (breast, colorectal and cervical cancer), which are already provided as part of standard services in most EU countries.
WP 8: Facilitation
Provide an overview of the current state of the art on lung, gastric and prostate cancer screening (i.e. newly recommended screening) and report on its integration into current practice with screening for breast, cervical and colorectal cancers.
WP 9: Risk-based approaches
Improve understanding of the concepts of risk and risk-based screening and provide MS with recommendations for evaluating the potential integration of these approaches into their screening programs.
WP 10: Modeling
Optimize and prioritize existing and new screening programs.
WP 11: Capacity building
To enable current and future leaders of cancer screening in exemplary countries to successfully implement or improve organized population-based screening in their respective countries.
The EuCanScreen European Joint Action expects to strengthen cancer screening systems in Europe, reduce health inequalities and promote innovation to improve health outcomes.
Euskadi, together with Biosistemak, participates in several cross-cutting work packages that provide methodology and guidelines to the work packages in which the pilots are executed, such as, for example, monitoring of screening programs, quality improvement and integration of artificial intelligence in existing systems.
In addition, together with Oskidetza, it is working on a pilot to implement new approaches to prostate cancer screening, and on the development of risk-based approaches and health technology assessment to optimize screening programs in the Basque Country.
The consortium brings together screening programs that work well and others that require substantial improvement. In total, 29 partner countries are represented in the consortium, including 25 EU Member States, Ukraine, Moldova, Norway and Iceland. The project will be coordinated by the University of Latvia and will involve the participation of 29 other competent authorities, 61 affiliated partners, including Biosistemak, and 8 associated partners. In addition, Biosistemak participates in the work packages WP5, WP10, tasks 8.1, 8.3, 9.4, 9.5 and 9.7.
List of participants:
Competent authorities:
- LATVIJAS UNIVERSITĀTE (Latvia)
- GESUNDHEIT ÖSTERREICH GMBH (Austria)
- SCIENSANO (Belgium)
- HRVATSKI ZAVOD ZA JAVNO ZDRAVSTVO (Croatia)
- Ministry of Health of the Republic of Cyprus (Cyprus)
- INSTITUTE OF HEALTH INFORMATION AND STATISTICS OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC (Czech Republic)
- REGION SYDDANMARK (Denmark)
- TERVISE ARENGU INSTITUUT (Estonia)
- TERVEYDEN JA HYVINVOINNIN LAITOS (Finland)
- INSTITUT NATIONAL DU CANCER GIP (France)
- ROBERT KOCH INSTITUTE (Germany)
- MINISTRY OF HEALTH (Greece)
- ORSZAGOS KORANYI PULMONOLOGIAI INTEZET (Hungary)
- HEILSUGAESLA HOFUDBORGARSVAEDISINS (Iceland)
- DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (Ireland)
- INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY AND PREVENTION OF CANCER AND THE ONCOLOGY NETWORK (Italy)
- MINISTRY OF HEALTH OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA (Lithuania)
- Ministry for Health and Active Ageing – Government of Malta (Malta)
- INSTITUTIA MEDICO-SANITARA PUBLICA INSTITUTUL ONCOLOGIC (Moldova)
- RIJKSINSTITUUT VOOR VOLKSGEZONDHEID EN MILIEU (Netherlands)
- HELSEDIREKTORATET (Norway)
- NARODOWY INSTYTUT ONKOLOGII IM. MARII SKLODOWSKIEJ-CURIE – PANSTWOWY INSTYTUT BADAWCZY (Poland)
- MINISTRY OF HEALTH – PORTUGUESE REPUBLIC (Portugal)
- NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC HEALTH (Romania)
- MINISTRY OF HEALTH OF THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC (Slovakia)
- ONKOLOSKI INSTITUT LJUBLJANA (Slovenia)
- CATALAN INSTITUTE OF ONCOLOGY (Spain)
- SOCIALSTYRELSEN (Sweden)
- STATE INSTITUTION PUBLIC HEALTH CENTRE OF THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH OF UKRAINE (Ukraine)
Affiliated entities:
- SLIMĪBU PROFILAKSES UN KONTROLES CENTRS (Latvia)
- RĪGAS STRADIŅA UNIVERSITĀTE (Latvia)
- PAULA STRADIŅA CLINICAL UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL (Latvia)
- UNIVERSITY FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION KREMS (Austria)
- UMIT TIROL – PRIVATE UNIVERSITY FOR HEALTH SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY GMBH (Austria)
- CENTRE FOR CANCER SCREENING (Belgium)
- STICHTING KANKERREGISTER – FONDATION REGISTRE DU CANCER (Belgium)
- COMMUNITY REFERENCE CENTRE FOR CANCER SCREENING (Belgium)
- UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL ANTWERPEN (Belgium)
- BRUSSELS COORDINATION CENTRE FOR CANCER SCREENING AND PREVENTION (Belgium)
- KLINICKI BOLNICKI CENTAR ZAGREB (Croatia)
- UNIVERSITY OF CYPRUS (Cyprus)
- TARTU UNIVERSITY (Estonia)
- SUOMEN SYOPAYHDISTYS – CANCERFORENINGEN I FINLAND RY – CANCER SOCIETY OF FINLAND CSF (Finland)
- FEDERATION HOSPITALIERE DE FRANCE (France)
- HOSPICES CIVILS DE LYON (France)
- UNICANCER (France)
- PUBLIC ASSISTANCE HOSPITALS OF PARIS (France)
- HEALTH DATA PLATFORM (France)
- GERMAN CANCER RESEARCH CENTRE HEIDELBERG (Germany)
- LEIBNIZ INSTITUTE FOR PREVENTION RESEARCH AND EPIDEMIOLOGY – BIPS GMBH (Germany)
- GERMAN CANCER SOCIETY EV (Germany)
- DIOIKISI 6IS YGEIONOMIKIS PERIFEREIAS PELOPONNISOU IONION NYSON IPEIROU KAI DYTIKIS ELLADAS (Greece)
- NATIONAL CENTRE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH AND PHARMACEUTICALS (Hungary)
- LANDLAEKNIS EMBAETTID (Iceland)
- HEALTH SERVICE EXECUTIVE (Ireland)
- ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS IN IRELAND (Ireland)
- HIGH INSTITUTE OF HEALTH (Italy)
- MINISTERO DELLA SALUTE (Italy)
- LOCAL HEALTH AUTHORITY OF REGGIO EMILIA (Italy)
- REGION OF MARCHE (Italy)
- CITTA DELLA SALUTE E DELLA SCIENZA DI TORINO HOSPITAL AUTHORITY (Italy)
- ULSS 4 VENETO ORIENTALE HEALTH AUTHORITY (Italy)
- MARIO NEGRI INSTITUTE FOR PHARMACOLOGICAL RESEARCH (Italy)
- CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF THE SACRED HEART (Italy)
- AUTONOMOUS PROVINCE OF TRENTO (Italy)
- IRCCS NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE FOUNDATION (Italy)
- REGION OF LOMBARDY (Italy)
- ATS PAVIA (Italy)
- VIESOJI ISTAIGA VILNIAUS UNIVERSITETO LIGONINE SANTAROS KLINIKOS (Lithuania)
- Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kaunas Clinics (Lithuania)
- ERASMUS UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTRE ROTTERDAM (Netherlands)
- STICHTING RADBOUD UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTRE (Netherlands)
- STICHTING BEVOLKINGSONDERZOEK NEDERLAND (Netherlands)
- FOLKEHELSEINSTITUTTET (Norway)
- INSTYTUT GRUZLICY I CHOROB PLUC (Poland)
- INSTITUTO PORTUGUES DE ONCOLOGIA DO PORTO FRANCISCO GENTIL, EPE (Portugal)
- LOCAL HEALTH UNIT OF SAO JOAO, E.P.E. (Portugal)
- UNIDADE LOCAL DE SAÚDE SANTA MARIA (Portugal)
- INSTITUTUL CLINIC FUNDENI (Romania)
- INSTITUTUL ONCOLOGIC PROF DR ION CHIRICUTA CLUJ-NAPOCA (Romania)
- NATIONAL ONCOLOGY INSTITUTE (Slovakia)
- NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH (Slovenia)
- HEALTH SYSTEMS RESEARCH INSTITUTE ASSOCIATION-BIOSISTEMAK (Spain)
- FOUNDATION FOR THE PROMOTION OF HEALTH AND BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH IN THE VALENCIAN COMMUNITY (Spain)
- ARAGONESE INSTITUTE OF HEALTH SCIENCES (Spain)
- MARQUES DE VALDECILLA RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOUNDATION (Spain)
- HOSPITAL DEL MAR MEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOUNDATION (Spain)
- SVERIGES KOMMUNER OCH REGIONER (Sweden)
- STATE INSTITUTION VOZIANOV INSTITUTE OF UROLOGY OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES OF UKRAINE (Ukraine)
- NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE (Ukraine)
Associated entities:
- INSTITUT JULES BORDET ASBL (Belgium)
- MINISTRY OF HEALTH, WELFARE AND SPORT (Netherlands)
- INSTITUTO TUMORI “GIOVANNI PAOLO II” IRCCS (Italy)
- AZIENDA SANITARIA LOCALE TARANTO (Italy)
- MSB MEDICAL SCHOOL BERLIN GMBH (Germany)
- CENTRUL NATIONAL DE SANATATE MINTALA SI LUPTA ANTIDROG (Romania)
- INSTITUTUL REGIONAL DE ONCOLOGIE IASI (Romania)
- CENTRE BRUXELLOIS DE COORDINATION POUR LE DEPISTAGE ET LA PREVENTION DES CANCERS (Belgium)
Coordinator contact details:
- Project coordinator: University of Latvia (Latvijas Universitāte)
- Email: screening@lu.lv
- Itxaso Alayo, Dolores Verdoy.