Cancers

Cancer is one of the biggest causes of death and a public health concern in Europe, although enormous efforts are being made in the area of research and significant advances have been made in the fight against this scourge (medicine is currently able to cure one cancer in two).

Prevention measures, such as a healthy diet, adequate physical activity and not smoking, are very important and could save up to 40% of cases.

Cancer caused 11% of the disease burden and around 20% of all deaths in the European Region in 2002, with cancer of the trachea/bronchus/lung being the leading contributor. One defining feature of cancer is the rapid creation of abnormal cells which grow beyond their usual boundaries, and which can invade adjoining parts of the body and spread to other organs, a process referred to as metastasis. Metastases are the major cause of death from cancer.

Tobacco use is the single largest preventable cause of cancer in the world. Environmental hazards such as air, water and food contamination, radiation, occupational exposures and unsafe building can also cause cancer.

For further information about cancer see some reference websites at the bottom of this page.

ENHIS information

The indicators below describe pressure, exposure, health effects and action for the disease under scrutiny, with indicators of health effects presented at the top. Indicator-based assessments cover all countries in the WHO European Region and provide information on the environment and health context, the policy relevance and context, as well as suggestions for further monitoring. When available, case studies of health impact assessment (HIA) are also presented.

Indicator-based assessments	Chart data	Database]	HIA case study
Incidence of childhood leukemia	X
Incidence of melanoma in people aged under 55 years	X
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in human milk	X
Exposure of children to chemical hazards in food	X
Radon levels in dwellings	X		X
Policies to reduce the excessive exposure of children to ultraviolet radiation	X
Exposure of children to air pollution (particulate matter) in outdoor air	X	X	X
Exposure of children to environmental tobacco smoke	X		X
Proportion of children living in homes using solid fuels	X		X
Policies to reduce the exposure of children to environmental tobacco smoke	X

These indicators contribute to monitoring the health effects of environmental exposures towards the achievement of four priorities goals for the pan-European Region (so called regional priority goals, RPGs) set by the Fourth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health in 2004, and on which the 53 Member States of WHO/Europe have committed to take action.

For the definition and other details about each indicator, please read the metadata section within the assessment and read the information on indicator methodology.

References

The following WHO and EU websites offer further information about cancers.

WHO/Europe, noncommunicable diseases (http://www.euro.who.int/noncommunicable/diseases/20050629_18)
WHO, Health topic: Cancer (http://www.who.int/topics/cancer/en/)
WHO, Cancer (http://www.who.int/cancer/en/)
European Commission, activities on cancer (http://ec.europa.eu/health-eu/health_problems/cancer/index_en.htm)
European Commission, cancer (http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_information/dissemination/diseases/cancer_en.htm)

ENHIS, World Health Organisation, Cancers. Bilthoven: RIVM, version 1.8, 21 October 2008