Despite data showing that cancer is on track to become the leading cause of death in the EU by 2035, encouraging signs are emerging.

The first in depth look at cancer comparisons since 2019 by The Swedish Institute for Health Economics’ (IHE) new report shows that the number of cancer deaths is stabilising, with 12 EU countries seeing a decline in deaths (per 100,000), signalling a turning point in the fight against the disease. Overall, cancer deaths in Europe have stabilized at around 1.3-1.4 million annually since 2008.

The research shows that cancer survival rates have improved across Europe, but disparities between countries – as well as types of cancers – remain.

Several cancer types have now a five-year survival rate exceeding 90% in the best-performing countries, including breast, prostate, testicular, and thyroid cancer, melanoma skin cancer, and Hodgkin lymphoma.

However, some solid tumour types (bladder, brain, gynaecological, laryngeal cancer) recorded little or no improvement.

Almost 200,000 cancer deaths could be avoided every year if all 15 countries with available survival data matched the survival rates of Sweden, the best-performing country in Europe, says the report.

Scientific advances have delivered targeted therapies and immunotherapies, with new breakthroughs on the horizon. The number of new oncology medicines approved in Europe has accelerated in the past five years and innovation is having an impact. Five-year relative survival for people with multiple myeloma was 30% in the mid-1990s. By 2020, this had reached 60%, saving an estimated 12,946 lives.

The report also highlights differences in spending on cancer care. The paper, commissioned by the EFPIA Oncology Platform and published today, warns that the number of newly diagnosed cases has risen sharply since 1995 and that the total economic burden of cancer is growing, driven by demographic developments and the increasing number of tumour types we can treat. However, it is important to note that the societal cost per patient has not increased.

Access to innovative medicines varies – despite some narrowing in the gap between high-uptake and low-uptake countries between 2018 and 2023. Many structural barriers hinder equitable access to cancer medicines: national pricing and reimbursement processes, inadequate health budgets, suboptimal healthcare infrastructure and organization, and access to biomarker testing.

Nathalie Moll, Director-General of EFPIA.

“It is greatly encouraging to see how new medicines and diagnostics continue to improve survival rates for patients with most types of cancer. We could only have dreamed about five-year survival rates above 90% even a decade ago.

There are many lessons to be learned from today’s report if we are to achieve these results for patients with brain or bladder cancer. We would encourage Europe and Member States to use the best practices and policies that are working for patients so that we can keep innovating and improve care further.”

Key findings:

• Breakthrough treatments: The EMA has approved almost 200 new cancer medicines since 1995, and there were 318 approvals of new indications of previously approved medicines. Oncology trials represented 29% of initiated trials across all therapeutic areas in 2023.
• Health spending share: Cancer is a disease where the health spending share (7%) remains below the share of the disease burden that it causes (23% of deaths, 17% of DALYs) in Europe.
• Embracing innovation: Uptake of new cancer medicines is uneven – Austria, Switzerland and France lead the way; Latvia, Poland, Estonia and Slovakia have the lowest uptake.
• Data saves lives: A lack of real-world data on treatment & survivals hampers evidence-based policymaking; just 15 of 31 European countries publish comprehensive five-year survival rates.
• Biomarker bottlenecks: molecular diagnostics are vital to precision medicine, but access is limited, especially in Central and Eastern European countries.
• Spending differences: cancer spending is linked to better survival, but varies from <€150 per capita in Hungary, Croatia, Romania, Latvia and Bulgaria to >€400 in Germany and Switzerland.

The publication sets out a series of concrete policy implications designed to improve cancer care for every patient, with any cancer, in all European countries. By investing in research and innovation, embracing available treatments and tools, harnessing the potential of data, and using HTA in a consistent manner, Europe can improve outcomes for patients and address persistent inequalities.

“The EU has played a key role in cancer control for decades and has shown renewed political commitment to oncology through the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and the EU Cancer Mission,” said Ivana Cattaneo, Chair of the EFPIA Oncology Platform. “It is vital that we keep working together to sustain Europe’s momentum and accelerate our collective ongoing efforts to address access disparities.”

 Notes to editors

• The number of newly diagnosed cancer cases in Europe has increased by nearly 60% since 1995.
• Cancer was the second leading cause of death in Europe in 2022, responsible for 23% of all deaths, and is set to become the leading cause of death by 2035.
• Oncology medicines represent a significant portion of newly approved medicines, with more new products approved in the last ten years than in the previous two decades. Despite this, cancer medicines account for just 3% of health spending.

Improving outcomes across Europe, and for all cancer types, is a political priority for the EU. The Europe Beating Cancer Plan (EBCP, 2021) and the EU Cancer Mission under Horizon Europe 2021–2027, are part of a broad effort to improve equal access to high-quality cancer care for all citizens.