Introducing the new European Cancer Screening Policy Index

Each year in Europe, 2 million lives are lost due to cancer. Many of them could have been saved through early detection.

Early detection can raise survival rates by up to 13 times for some common cancers, while late detection can lead to less than 10% survival after five years.

This European Week Against Cancer, on the day dedicated to early detection of cancer, the European Cancer Organisation unveils the new 2026 European Cancer Screening Policy Index, calling attention to the urgent need for stronger and more equitable cancer screening policies across the continent.

The new Index is available for download here.

Building on the success of the 2024 edition, the updated Index reflects the most recent national developments and features an improved methodology to provide more robust benchmarking of European countries’ screening policies and performance. The new approach strengthens the Index’s ability to identify policy gaps, track progress and support evidence-based improvements in cancer screening programmes across Europe.

The findings reveal that major disparities in cancer screening persist between European countries. Although many countries have expanded or updated screening programmes since 2024, participation rates remain a significant challenge and inequalities in access continue to affect outcomes for patients across Europe.

The Index also highlights the key importance of organised screening programmes to drive social equity and the key role of European cooperation in advancing early detection initiatives, particularly for lung, prostate and gastric cancers.

You can read more about the key findings and policy recommendations here.