How is cancer research doing? Not well at all, in Europe. It is the sad fact of The Lancet Oncology Commission who has reviewed a lot of data on this subject. “We have seen the chilling effects that the first wave of the pandemic has had on scientific work with many laboratory and clinical trial closures”note the authors of the commission.
The global context slows research
And the situation is only getting worse since other events have continued to deteriorate the state of research: the Russia-Ukraine war – these two countries were major contributors of oncological work -, and Brexit, which is hampering the work common between the UK and the Continent.
Yet research is one of the key elements of the fight once morest disease. Without firm political decisions on the matter, the situation risks getting even worse. “We fear that Europe is heading towards a cancer epidemic in the next decade if health systems and cancer research do not quickly become a priority”the authors are alarmed.
What is the situation now?
And it is urgent because the fight once morest cancer is failing at all levels: research, therefore, but also prevention, treatment… As proof, several edifying figures are reported by the commission:
- 100 million screening tests were not carried out when they should have been done;
- 1 million European citizens are carriers of cancer without knowing it due to the pandemic;
- 1 out of 2 patients would not have received the necessary treatment in time.
What should be done ?
The commission recommends a significant increase in research funding. From 26 euros per head over the period between 2010 and 2019, the investment should at least double by 2030. A minimum when the United States had injected 234 euros per person over the same period.
Without it, the chances of recovery may drop drastically in the years to come.
