The LTPC Expert Group campaigns on behalf of those affected by prostate cancer across Europe. The campaign's objective is to address the existing unmet needs of those affected by the condition by moving prostate cancer up the European political and policy agenda.
We have developed a number of policy recommendations showing how care for the patient community could be improved.
Increasing the policy prioritisation of prostate cancer
Improved awareness at the European level
Addressing healthcare inequalities
Timely access to high quality care
Improving health system organisation
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Prioritisation
We call on policymakers to become figureheads of awareness campaigns, both at EU and at national level, to increase the knowledge and understanding of the challenges facing people with advanced prostate cancer and the burden of the disease.
The Mission Boards1 within the new European Commission's mission on cancer should ensure that prostate cancer is identified as a specific priority area.
The European Parliament should take action on prostate cancer and work with the Commission and Member States on the implementation of cancer prevention and control plans e.g. by commissioning a report on the state of implementation of the national plans, leading an own-initiative report on cancer addressing the specific needs of people with prostate cancer and creating an integrated European cancer plan.
All national cancer programmes and the work of the European Commission should explicitly address the needs of people living with advanced prostate cancer, setting out the steps that will be taken to improve care, meet the increasing need for treatment and support and evaluate progress on these ambitions.
1
European Commission. Commission invites top experts to shape new research and innovation missions. 13 May 2019. Accessible at: https://ec.europa.eu/info/news/commission-invites-top-experts-shape-new-research-and-innovation-missions-2019-may-13_en (last accessed October 2020)
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Awareness
We support the call for a cancer dashboard at the European level, to include prostate cancer in national cancer plans, to showcase associated mortality and incidence across countries and to raise awareness of socio-economic, ethnic, national and regional inequalities.
It is important to explicitly draw the attention of policymakers and the general public to the increasing mortality rates caused by prostate cancer.
To tackle the stigma associated with prostate cancer, a culture of openness about the side effects of treatment as well as the importance of early screening should be promoted at national and at EU level. We call for campaigns and education programmes at all levels, supported by policymakers, to educate individuals about their risk, prevention methods and intervention options.
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Healthcare inequalities
We call on policymakers to encourage the European Commission and national governments to support research into the inequalities that affect people with prostate cancer, including along socio-economic, ethnic, national and regional lines, as part of the innovation and research grants available under Horizon Europe and national health research budgets1.
The creation of an integrated cancer plan would further facilitate investment in important research in this field. Comprehensive reporting on healthcare inequalities will facilitate the development of measures to overcome these in the long term.
1
European Commission. Horizon Europe - the next research and innovation framework programme. Accessible at: https://ec.europa.eu/info/horizon-europe-next-research-and-innovation-framework-programme_en (last accessed October 2020)
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Access
We call on policymakers to engage national governments on the importance of improving timely access to high quality multidisciplinary prostate cancer services at every stage of the treatment and care pathway as promoted by ECCO's Essential Requirements for Quality Cancer Care1.
Efforts to improve services should be supported by investment in effective interventions for advanced prostate cancer and the implementation of existing guidelines and validated patient information across Europe.
1
Banks, I et al. ECCO Essential Requirements for Quality Cancer Care: Primary care. 2019. Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology.142:187-199
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Health system organisation
We call for multidisciplinary and multi-professional teams to provide diagnostics as well as the right intervention and care at the right time for people with advanced prostate cancer.
We also call for any update to the EU's Joint Action on Innovation Partnership for Action Against Cancer (IPAAC) to ensure that action to improve the prostate cancer care pathway is featured higher up in national priorities1.
1
Innovative Partnership for Action Against Cancer. Accessible at: https://www.ipaac.eu (last accessed October 2020)
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Prostate Cancer and COVID-19 Article
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LTPC CALL TO ACTION
The content of this call to action is informed by the Let’s Talk Prostate Cancer Expert Group organised and funded by Astellas Pharma Europe Ltd. to raise awareness of the challenges faced by people with advanced prostate cancer in Europe. The Expert Group is a collaborative initiative bringing together EU level stakeholders with a shared interest in promoting policy change, education and awareness to ensure that people with advanced prostate cancer receive the right treatment and care at the right time in a shared decision-making process between patients and medical professionals.
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Prostate Cancer and COVID-19 paper
COVID-19 is a particularly worrying time for cancer patients as the impact of their condition and its treatment means that they are at an increased risk from the pandemic. This document highlights the impact that COVID-19 has on those affected by prostate cancer as well as the unique opportunities for improving prostate cancer care that healthcare systems should consider as part of the long-term recovery from the pandemic.
