Every year more than 1.2 million women are diagnosed with cancer in the European Union, with nearly 600,000 losing their lives. As of now, the European Cancer Information System (ECIS) reports that 12 million women in Europe are living with cancer.
The policy challenges connected to this are wide, multifaceted and pressing. The European Cancer Organisation, its members and community want to play a role in addressing such challenges, and we invite your contributions!
As part of ECO’s Inequalities Network, the Women and Cancer workstream looks to address the unique inequities faced by women who experience a cancer diagnosis, women working in the cancer sector, and women who provide care to persons with cancer. The workstream is bringing together stakeholders from across the European cancer community and beyond to promote issues such as:
In developing this workstream we are inviting contributions, perspectives and experience from the wide range of persons touched by cancer, working in the cancer sector and beyond. It will support other ECO Networks where appropriate.
Women and Cancer: More than 12 million reasons for action
An estimated 12 million women in Europe are currently living with cancer. Another 1.2 million women are diagnosed with the disease each year – and nearly 600,000 are dying from it annually.
Enough is enough!
Marking European Gender Equality Week 2024, the European Cancer Organisation (ECO) published a landmark report: Women and Cancer: More than 12 million reasons for action!
To connect further with this workstream and find out more please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Throughout Pink October, ECO is bringing together expert perspectives on breast cancer to explore persistent challenges in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, access to care and life after diagnosis.
The series complements the Women & Cancer Policy Index by looking at the realities behind the data.
The impact of cancer on women has many facets, so too should the tools we use to address it.
The European Women and Cancer Policy Index is the first practical approach for benchmarking the policies and performance of individual countries in addressing women’s needs in cancer control.
Find out more and download the index
Explore how cancer affects women’s lives beyond diagnosis; from prevention and fertility to caregiving and workplace equality, a woman confronting cancer juggles so much more.
As part of shaping the next EU Gender Equality Strategy, ECO advocates five key rights to address these various challenges.
Find out more here.
Every year, 600,000 women in the European Union lose their lives to cancers that could be prevented, detected earlier, or treated more effectively.
Leading experts, patient advocates, and policymakers met at our Community 365 Roundtable and tackled the urgent gaps in prevention, care, and support for women affected by cancer.
Together, we explored actionable solutions to improve survival, reduce inequalities, and elevate women’s voices in cancer policy.
To mark the occasion of the 2025 edition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, ESMO together with the members of the European Health Alliance on Alcohol (EHAA) launched a statement to raise awareness of the cancer risks linked to alcohol and call for robust policy measures to help prevent breast cancer cases attributable to alcohol. The full statement can be accessed here.
