Analysis of a Cancer Profile of 10 European States
Author(s)
Krzysztof Nojszewski, MD1, Anna Radziwilska Muc, MBA2, Malgorzata Szafaryn, MEcon3, Magdalena Wladysiuk, MSc4, K K, -4, Robert Plisko, MSc5.
1Country Value & Access Head, Novartis Poland, Warsaw, Poland, 2Value & Access, Novartis, Warszawa, Poland, 3Value & Access, Novartis Poland, Warsaw, Poland, 4HTA Consulting, Krakow, Poland, 5HTA Consulting, Kraków, Poland.
1Country Value & Access Head, Novartis Poland, Warsaw, Poland, 2Value & Access, Novartis, Warszawa, Poland, 3Value & Access, Novartis Poland, Warsaw, Poland, 4HTA Consulting, Krakow, Poland, 5HTA Consulting, Kraków, Poland.
OBJECTIVES: Cancer remains a significant challenge for healthcare systems across Europe. This study aimed to gather and compare epidemiological indicators and oncology care data in ten selected European countries.
METHODS: A targeted review of cancer databases was conducted to assess the basic epidemiological and healthcare profiles in Poland, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Slovenia, the United Kingdom, and Italy.
RESULTS: According to the European Cancer Information System (ECIS), cancer incidence rates in 2022 ranged from 537 cases per 100,000 population in Poland to 690 in Italy. Mortality rates varied from 241 in Finland to 326 in Italy. These values fluctuate around the EU average of 613.9 new cases and 289.3 deaths per 100,000 people. Lung and colorectal cancers were the two leading causes of cancer-related deaths across all countries. All countries have implemented national cancer plans aligned, to varying degrees, with the objectives of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan. Full alignment was observed in Poland and Spain. In 2023, cancer care expenditure ranged from 4% of total healthcare spending in Finland to 8% in Germany and Poland. Despite this, Poland recorded the lowest cancer screening rates—only 35% of women underwent breast cancer screening (compared to 82% in Finland), and just 11% were screened for cervical cancer (versus 74% in Czechia).
CONCLUSIONS: Despite shared strategic frameworks and comparable spending levels, significant differences remain in outcomes and preventive efforts. This highlights the need for not only structural reforms but also robust public health initiatives to improve cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment across Europe.
METHODS: A targeted review of cancer databases was conducted to assess the basic epidemiological and healthcare profiles in Poland, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Slovenia, the United Kingdom, and Italy.
RESULTS: According to the European Cancer Information System (ECIS), cancer incidence rates in 2022 ranged from 537 cases per 100,000 population in Poland to 690 in Italy. Mortality rates varied from 241 in Finland to 326 in Italy. These values fluctuate around the EU average of 613.9 new cases and 289.3 deaths per 100,000 people. Lung and colorectal cancers were the two leading causes of cancer-related deaths across all countries. All countries have implemented national cancer plans aligned, to varying degrees, with the objectives of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan. Full alignment was observed in Poland and Spain. In 2023, cancer care expenditure ranged from 4% of total healthcare spending in Finland to 8% in Germany and Poland. Despite this, Poland recorded the lowest cancer screening rates—only 35% of women underwent breast cancer screening (compared to 82% in Finland), and just 11% were screened for cervical cancer (versus 74% in Czechia).
CONCLUSIONS: Despite shared strategic frameworks and comparable spending levels, significant differences remain in outcomes and preventive efforts. This highlights the need for not only structural reforms but also robust public health initiatives to improve cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment across Europe.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2025-11, ISPOR Europe 2025, Glasgow, Scotland
Value in Health, Volume 28, Issue S2
Code
EPH14
Topic
Epidemiology & Public Health, Methodological & Statistical Research, Real World Data & Information Systems
Topic Subcategory
Public Health
Disease
Oncology