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CANCER: COMBATING A COMPLEX DISEASE<br />
Human cancer is one of the oldest documented diseases. The oldest written evidence of the<br />
disease is found in Egyptian papyri from the period 3 000 to 1 500 BC which describe ulcers and<br />
breast cancer. The oldest specimen is a bronze age (1900-1600 BC) female skull suggesting head<br />
and neck cancer, whereas skeletal remains of a Peruvian – INCA – woman suggest melanoma.<br />
Breast cancer, melanoma, as well as head and neck cancer and other solid cancers, are still<br />
present across the world today. <strong>Cancer</strong> is an increasingly important health burden, both for<br />
patients and public health systems with signifi cant societal and psychological consequences.<br />
In recognition of this, a global eff ort to fi ght and control cancer has been set. Recently, the<br />
European Parliament published a resolution on Combating cancer in the enlarged Europe ( 1)<br />
and the council of the European Union in its conclusions on reducing the burden on cancer ( 2),<br />
invited the European Commission to extend knowledge of cancer epidemiology and cancer risk<br />
factors, early detection, diagnosis, treatment, survival and palliative care, as well as to include<br />
translational research under the Seventh Framework Programme.<br />
In addition, the World cancer declaration 2008, calls for a concerted strategic action to reduce<br />
the global cancer burden and outlines the steps needed to begin to reverse the global cancer<br />
crisis by 2020. Moreover, it sets specifi c priority actions on health policy, prevention and early<br />
detection, cancer treatment, and cancer research ( 3).<br />
The European Union’s strong research community is well placed to advance the understanding<br />
and treatment of cancer. Traditional approaches such as surgery, radiotherapy and<br />
chemotherapy are constantly improving, whilst genomic and immunological research off er<br />
innovative prospects for future treatment. In addition, new screening and detection methods<br />
are making it possible to confront the disease at an increasingly early stage. Furthermore,<br />
palliative care is increasingly recognised as important in ensuring cancer patients and their<br />
families to receive the best possible care and quality of life.<br />
The European Union supports cancer research in order to prevent cancer and to improve<br />
patients’ survival chances and their quality of life. The ‘Combating <strong>Cancer</strong>’ initiative was part<br />
of the EU’s Combating Major Diseases research. Within the ‘Life Sciences, Genomics and Biotechnology<br />
for Health’ thematic priority of the Sixth Framework Programme, 2002-2006<br />
some € 480 million of funding for cancer research has been made available to the European<br />
research community through the programme.<br />
It aimed to combat cancer by developing improved patient-oriented strategies, from prevention<br />
to earlier and more eff ective diagnosis, to better treatment with minimal side eff ects. It supported<br />
initiatives aimed at translating knowledge of basic research into applications to improve clinical<br />
practice and public health actions.<br />
This distinctive patient-oriented approach included four interlinked components, focusing on:<br />
• Establishing facilities and developing initiatives for the exploitation of cancer research in<br />
Europe, encouraging the development of evidence-based guidelines for good clinical<br />
practice and improved public health strategies by accelerating the translation of existing<br />
research results into applications.<br />
(1) http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//NONSGML+TA+P6-TA-2008-0121+0+DOC+WORD+V0//EN<br />
(2) Adopted 10/06/08, www.consilium.europa.eu/Newsroom<br />
(3) http://www.uicc.org/wcd/wcd2008.pdf<br />
FOREWORD<br />
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