In a resolution drafted by Slovene MEP Alojz Peterle (European People's Party), MEPs welcomed the European Commission's proposal to set up a European Partnership for Action Against Cancer for the period 2009-2013 to support member states' efforts to tackle cancer.
Member states are urged to set up integrated cancer plans to help achieve the Partnership's long-term aim of reducing cancer by 15% by 2020.
MEPs believe particular efforts should be directed towards the new member states.
MEPs called for further action to promote a healthy lifestyle and reduce environmental and workplace risk factors as well as demanding increased EU investment in information and screening campaigns.
"We are delighted with the strong focus on cancer prevention, and particularly the recognition that environmental factors, including toxic chemicals, are playing a role in rising rates of some cancers," says Lisette Van Vliet, toxics policy advisor at the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL).
Prevention is the most cost-effective response, says the resolution, as one third of cancers are preventable. More resources should go into prevention, healthy lifestyles should be encouraged, and "information campaigns on cancer screening" should be "directed at the general public and all healthcare providers," MEPs said.
With more than three million new cases and 1.7 million deaths each year, cancer is the second biggest cause of death in Europe.
The European Parliament wants EU governments and institutions to step up the fight against the disease. Links between cancer and risk factors such as tobacco, alcohol and pharmaceutical and synthetic hormones should be investigated, says the Parliament.
The MEPs also argue that cancer medicines, including treatments for rare and less common cancers, should be uniformly available to all patients who need them, and inequalities of access to cancer treatment and care must be reduced, including the new 'targeted' cancer drugs recently put on the market.
