Scope of the Mission
Cancer affects everyone regardless of age, gender or social status and represents a tremendous burden for patients, families, and societies at large. According to the European Cancer Information System, each year in Europe, 2.7 million people are diagnosed with cancer, and 1.3 million lives are lost to the disease.
By 2040, the number of cancer diagnoses is projected to surpass 3.24 million, driven by factors such as an aging population, unhealthy lifestyles, and unequal access to screening and care.
In response, the EU Cancer Mission, alongside Europe's Beating Cancer Plan, represents the European Commission's strategy to reverse this alarming trend.
The EU Cancer Mission unites research, innovation, and public health policies in ways that cannot be achieved through isolated research or policy actions at the EU, national, regional, or local levels.
By investing in research and collaborating with citizens and a broad range of stakeholders, the Mission generates new evidence and fosters innovative concepts to inform policy actions across its 4 key objectives: understanding cancer, prevention and early detection, diagnosis and treatment, and improving quality of life.
Fully integrated with the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, the Cancer Mission builds on extensive synergies with other EU programmes and initiatives, promoting a true mission approach.
In addition, the EU Cancer Mission prioritises several cross-cutting themes, including citizen and stakeholder engagement, equitable access, childhood cancer, innovation, and personalised medicine.
More information
- Mission Implementation Platform (MIP): Access resources, data, and tools to learn more about the main initiatives supported by the EU Cancer Mission
- Newsletter Subscription: Stay updated by subscribing to the mission's newsletter.
- Funding and Tenders Portal: Explore funding opportunities and open calls related to the mission.
Contact
For enquiries related to the EU Mission on Cancer, please contact:
RTD-SANTE-CANCER-MISSION
ec [dot] europa [dot] eu (RTD-SANTE-CANCER-MISSION[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu)
Documents
The EU Cancer Mission has set the goal to “improve the lives of more than 3 million people by 2030, through prevention, cure and for those affected by cancer including their families, to live longer and better”.
- български
- español
- čeština
- dansk
- Deutsch
- eesti
- ελληνικά
- français
- Gaeilge
- hrvatski
- italiano
- latviešu
- lietuvių
- magyar
- Malti
- Nederlands
- polski
- português
- română
- slovenčina
- slovenščina
- suomi
- svenska
Latest
On 4 December 2025, Copenhagen will host the second major event of the EU Cancer Mission: “Advancing Cancer Care: Personalised Treatment and Innovation”.
Held at the EU Pavilion, the event brought to light how shared commitment, innovation and patient engagement can transform the global response to cancer.
