Europe combating cancer: The European Union's commitment to cancer research in the 6th Framework Programme

Abstract

). About V485 million were devoted to this theme, which allowed funding of 108 multidisciplinary transnational projects. A significant part of them was large-scale initiatives addressing complex issues through a broad combination of competences. All major types of cancer were covered, as well as the three dimensions such as prevention, diagnostic and treatment, with a particular emphasis on translational research aiming at bringing basic knowledge on medical practice. This approach will be continued in the 7th Framework Programme (2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013), together with a strengthened effort to improve the coordination of European cancer research, which is fragmented and in which EU action represents only a small part. EU cancer research will also be addressed within the reinforced efforts in the areas of pharmaceutical and technological developments as well as common aetiological mechanisms of diseases that the 7th Framework Programme will undertake. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. IntroductionCancer remains one of the major public health issues and challenges in Europe. According to an estimate (Boyle and Ferlay, 2005), in 2004 alone, 2.9 million people were diagnosed with cancer in Europe and 1.7 million died from it. Due to the strong association between age and the risk of cancer, these numbers are expected to increase further as the European population ages. Major efforts and investments in cancer research over the last decades have resulted in a decrease in the age-standardised mortality rate for cancer by 9% (Boyle et al., 2003), in particular thanks to better prevention, earlier diagnosis and more effective treatments. It has even been speculated that lasting improvements at these three levels mentioned could make cancer a manageable chronic disease in the future (Von Eschenbach, 2003;Sikora, 2006).Yet, in the foreseeable future, cancer will remain a formidable social and economic challenge worldwide, and further investments are therefore required to combat this disease and limit its devastating consequences.

Trends in the global funding and activity of cancer research

“…Contributing some €10 M to European spend were also trans‐European research funders such as the EORTC. The European Commission is also a contributor to European spend through the Framework programmes with just under €100 M per annum under the 6th Framework Programme (Jungbluth et al., 2007). However, this second survey was undertaken in the gap between the 6th and 7th Framework programmes.…”

Mapping cancer research across Central and Eastern Europe, the Russian Federation and Central Asia: Implications for future national cancer control planning

“…International Association for Cooperation with Scientists from the former Soviet Union (INTAS). This may have been in part due to the premature ending of this programme in early 2000, with the policy re-orientation of the EU in FP6 and 7, and a lack of success of Central Asian partners in winning programmatic funding23 . The Russian Federation, however, did have the highest rate of participation as a 'third country' up to and including the EU's Framework 7 programming.…”

The State of Research and Development in Global Cancer Surgery

“…In the UK, for example, less than 1% of cancer research spending goes towards surgery 6 and in the sixth Framework Programme of the European Union the picture is no better, with no serious research initiatives or funding directed towards cancer surgery. 3 What data we have on the US, and this is not broken down into cancer-specific funding, shows a massive divergence in support from 1992 between departments of surgery and medicine; by 1999 this meant an almost 4-fold difference in funding levels. 14 Low levels of hypothecated research funding and low levels of overall research activity create a reinforcing negative cycle that can only be broken by sustained external investment.…”