Cancer check call

The European Commission has called for more effective screening programmes for breast cancer, colon cancer and cervical cancer and said the 15 EU countries must learn from each other on how best to detect the disease.

“About 25,000 women’s lives could be saved each year, if best practise in screening for breast cancer were available throughout the European Union,” said Health Commissioner David Byrne .

Deaths from colon cancer and cervical cancer could also be reduced through improved screening, he said.

The Commissioner urged governments to compare their health care strategies and learn from each other.

Nearly one million Europeans currently die from cancer every year.

The commission said the fight against cancer was producing modest results: The annual cancer specific mortality in Europe fell by 10 per cent between 1997-2000, meaning that about 92,000 lives were saved.