What if almost half of all cancers in Europe were preventable and yet we weren’t doing enough to prevent them?
This is not speculation. It’s a fact. According to recent data, around 40% of cancers in Europe are preventable. This number should make us stop and reflect. Yet year after year, too many people continue to be left behind in systems that are too slow, uneven or fragmented to realize that potential.
Every year, on February 4th, Europe marks the World Cancer Day. But, more than a simple date on the calendar, it is an opportunity to evaluate the path already taken and the one that still remains to be done. In 2026, at a time when Europe faces demographic change and increasing pressure on public health systems, the fight against cancer remains a litmus test of our political responsibility.
Despite the progress made, significant gaps remain between Member States. Inequalities in access to early detection, quality treatments and long-term care continue to be a reality. Advances in research take years to become common practice. And survivors still face unnecessary obstacles at work, in public life and in health systems that are not fully adapted to their needs.
The PPE Group, to which the PSD belongs, recognizes these challenges and has acted accordingly. For us, the fight against cancer has never been a simple slogan. It has been a political priority, based on a simple conviction: all European citizens, regardless of where they live or their income, deserve access to prevention, early diagnosis and high-quality care.
This conviction guided the work of the PPE Group in the European Parliament’s Special Committee on the Fight against Cancer. This commission was not just a space for debate, but a true laboratory for solutions. We listen to patients, caregivers, doctors, researchers and national authorities. We faced uncomfortable truths about disparities in care and failures in prevention. We transformed these contributions into concrete policies and, today, we continue this work at the Public Health Commission.
One of our main priorities has been prevention. We have consistently advocated for more ambitious measures regarding healthy eating, physical activity and environmental risk factors. Prevention may not produce immediate results, but it can save lives in the long term.
Early detection is our second pillar. Screening programs save lives, but only if they are accessible to everyone. We have worked to extend and modernize European screening recommendations, promote new technologies and ensure that these programs reach the most vulnerable and isolated populations. Too many cancers continue to be diagnosed too late, not because of medical failures, but because of systemic failures.
The PPE Group has also been a strong supporter of innovation and research. Europe has excellent scientists and clinicians, but, too often, advances do not reach patients. We advocate better coordination of oncology research, smarter use of health data and faster access to innovative therapies, always keeping patient safety at the center of decisions. Innovation must be a common European good, not a privilege for the few.
Combating inequalities is at the heart of our approach. A cancer diagnosis should not depend on zip code. Our commission’s work has demonstrated that survival rates can vary drastically between and within Member States. We have consistently advocated for stronger European cooperation in health, respecting national competences, but recognizing that solidarity saves lives. From cross-border healthcare to joint contracting and sharing best practice, Europe is stronger when it acts together.
Equally important, we insist on putting patients and survivors at the center of policy. Cancer is not just a medical condition; It is a life-changing experience. Quality of life, mental health and rehabilitation are not secondary aspects – they are essential. Surviving cancer cannot mean living with permanent discrimination.
World Cancer Day 2026 should not just be a moment of awareness; It should be a moment of accountability. The commitments made must go beyond titles and symbolic celebrations.
We remain committed to a Europe that protects through prevention, innovation and justice. The fight against cancer is not a fight we can stop. It is a common European mission, which requires courage and consistency.
So what if almost half of all cancers could be prevented? The answer is clear. We act together.
Tomislav Sokol, coordinator of the PPE Group at the Public Health Commission (SANT)
Sérgio Humberto, member of the Public Health Commission (SANT)
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