Joint Action Project "Implementation of the new European recommendations on cancer screening" (EUCanScreen)

• Duration of the project: four years (June 1, 2024 - May 31, 2028);
• Lead organisation in Slovenia: Institute of  Oncology Ljubljana;
• Associated partner: National Institute of Public Health;
• Co-funding: European Funds, Ministry of Health;
• Project leader in Slovenia: asst. prof. Urška Ivanuš, MD, Public Health Specialist;
• Project website: https://eucanscreen.eu.

The European Cancer Plan calls for a common approach to cancer screening with EU support to ensure the implementation of organized population-based recommended cancer screening programmes in all Member States. The main objective of the project is to ensure the sustainable and high quality introduction and implementation of organized population-based screening for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer and to investigate the advantages and disadvantages as well as the feasibility of a phased introduction of screening programmes for lung, prostate and stomach cancer.

The project aims to reduce the burden of cancer in Europe through the early detection of precancerous lesions and cancer through organized population-based screening in all Member States and to reduce existing inequalities.

The EUCanScreen project has seven specific objectives:

• Ensure the implementation of recommended, cost-effective breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening programmes with a quality scheme in all EU countries;
• Review the phased implementation of evidence-based, cost-effective new screening programmes for lung, prostate and stomach cancer with an established quality scheme;
• Ensure the sustainability and management of organized population-based programmes;
• Ensure quality and timely collection of internationally comparable data to ensure and monitor the quality and effectiveness of screening programmes;
• Reducing inequalities in access to screening;
• Strengthening the capacity of countries in cancer screening;
• Promote collaboration and coordination with related EU programme projects.

The EUCanScreen work plan builds on previous EU projects and takes into account the new EU Council recommendations on cancer screening. It includes 11 thematic work packages (WPs) that link countries with well-functioning screening programmes with those countries where screening programmes are not yet achieving the expected public health benefits. The project activities will support and promote the sustainable implementation of evidence-based screening programmes so that in practice they deliver the expected benefits with minimal harm in a cost-effective manner. The consortium has 29 partner countries, including 25 EU Member States, Ukraine, Moldova, Norway and Iceland. The project is coordinated by the University of Latvia.

Slovenia's participation in the project has created the opportunity to plan and implement internationally recommended innovations and improvements in both healthcare services and the management of existing, successful screening programmes for breast cancer (DORA), cervical cancer (ZORA) and colorectal cancer (Programme Svit), as well as potential new screening programmes for lung cancer (LUKA), prostate cancer (PETER) and stomach cancer in a coordinated manner.

Slovenia has an important leadership role in the project in the areas of planning, establishing and improving the sustainability of screening at EU level (lead of WP4) and an innovative approach to the management of screening programmes at national level (under WP11). In addition, we are involved in a number of other tasks in which we will share our knowledge and experience with other participating countries and experts and co-create project results that will be implemented in daily practice, especially since we are the only country in the project that has taken on the role of both "learning country" and "advisory country". This means, for example, that we will develop a methodology for prioritizing screening programmes together with our partners (WP4). Slovenia will then be one of the model countries in which we will use modeling (WP10) to investigate which screening programmes would bring our country the greatest benefit at the lowest cost and least harm.

Key areas of expertise for the project include:

• Monitoring the quality and effectiveness of screening programmes with a focus on compliance with the European Cancer Information System (ECIS) and the European Cancer Inequalities Registry (WP5);
• Identifying and overcoming barriers (WP6);
• Progress in the introduction and implementation of the 2003 recommended screening programmes for cervical, breast and colorectal cancer (WP7);
• Preparations for the gradual introduction of evidence-based, cost-effective new screening programmes for lung, prostate and stomach cancer with an established quality scheme (WP8);
• Risk-adjusted approach (WP9);
• Mathematical modeling and the use of artificial intelligence (WP10);
• Training of specialists and screening managers (WP11).

Participation in the EUCanScreen project will contribute to the long-term reduction of cancer morbidity and mortality in Slovenia and other EU countries.

“Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, European Health, Digital Executive Agency (HADEA) and Ministry of Health of Republic of Slovenia. Neither the European Union, the granting authority, nor Ministry can be held responsible for them.”