The problem

Up to 40% of Europeans develop cancer at some stage in their lives, and cancer causes 40% of deaths at middle age. But almost half of all cancers may be preventable, if appropriate public health policies led to individual preventive actions. Attempts at preventing cancer through public policies have not been very successful, especially in the lower socio-economic status groups. More efforts are needed to prevent avoidable exposure to known risk factors. Building better cancer prevention policies requires more research into key determinants of cancer incidence and the likely impact of interventions.

Overview:

EUROCADET will assist the battle against cancer by assessing the potential impact of intervention strategies on the future burden of cancer up to 2040.

The project will:

• Examine the major factors affecting the incidence of cancer, focusing on the effects of smoking, alcohol, diet, obesity, physical activity and socio-economic status
• Assess the evidence from past policy interventions to gain a better understanding of the most effective strategies
• Estimate the future burden of cancer across Europe and consider various ways to reduce the burden through effective policy strategies

Contribution to policy development:

• Promotion of intensive interaction between policy-makers and researchers
• Development of policy intervention scenarios, which can then be customised by policy-makers to suit regional circumstances
• Training workshops for policy-makers
• Could lead to the eventual implementation of improved regional, national and international policies

Project deliverables

• Predictions of future cancer incidence – October 2005-March 2007
• Seminars, workshops and an invitational conference to assess interventions and develop scenarios for future interventions – October 2005-October 2009
• Reports on types of intervention, best practices, barriers to implementation, likely impact of interventions and actions needed to raise public awareness – all available by October 2009

Dissemination

• Project website – from January 2006
• Publication of results in international scientific journals and in reports to the EC – as required
• Training and guidance for relevant policy personnel at five regional workshops
• Contributions to scientific, public health and industry conferences – as required
• The EUROCADET invitational conference for experts and policy-makers – towards end of project

Technical information

Project acronym: EUROCADET
Project’s official full title: Key determinants of the future incidence of cancer across Europe: impact and prevention
Research priority: 2.1. Health determinants and the provision of high quality and sustainable health care services and pension systems
Specific webpage: http://www.eurocadet.org
Proposal/contract no: 006528
Start date: 7/10/2005
Kick off meeting: 7/10/2005
Completion date: October 2009
European Commission scientific officer: Jan Paehler, Jan.Paehler@ec.europa.eu

Coordinator:
Name: Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC University
Abbreviated name: Erasmus MC
Address: PO Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam
Country: Netherlands
Tel: +31(0) 10 408 77 14
Fax: +31(0) 10 408 94 55
Website: http://www2.eur.nl/fgg/mgz

Partners

Name: International Agency for Research on Cancer
Abbreviated name: IARC
Country: France

Name: University of Oslo
Abbreviated name: UOSLO
Country: Norway

Name: Institut Catala d’Oncologia
Abbreviated name: ICO
Country: Spain

Name: Deutsches Zentrum für Alternsforschung
Abbreviated name: DZFA
Country: Germany

Name: Azienda Sanataria Regionale
Abbreviated name: ASL 5
Country: Italy

Name: Finnish Cancer Registry
Abbreviated name: FCR
Country: Finland

Name: Institute of Cancer Research and Cure
Abbreviated name: INT
Country: Italy

Name: Office for National Statistics
Abbreviated name: ONS
Country: United Kingdom

Name: Danish Cancer Society
Abbreviated name: DCS
Country: Denmark

Name: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Abbreviated name: NKUA
Country: Greece

Name: Maria Slodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology
Abbreviated name: COI
Country: Poland