In 2022, about 1.3 million women and 1.5 million men in EU countries were expected to be diagnosed with cancer (ECIS, 2024[1]). This represents an age‑standardised incidence rate of 684 per 100 000 men and 488 per 100 000 women. Except for breast and thyroid cancer, men have higher age‑standardised incidence rates among all main cancer sites that affect both sexes.
Among men, prostate is the most frequent cancer diagnosis, accounting for 23% of all cancer diagnoses, followed by lung and colorectal cancer (both 14%). For women, breast cancer dominates in terms of incidence, accounting for an estimated 30% of cases, followed by colorectal (12%) and lung cancer (9%). While breast cancer is a leading cancer site across women of all ages, prostate, lung and colorectal cancers are diagnosed mainly in people over age 50.
Within the EU, Denmark was expected to have the highest cancer incidence rate in 2022, with age‑standardised rates around 27% higher than the EU average, followed by Ireland, the Netherlands and Croatia (Figure 3.11). These gaps reflect not only variations in the real number of cancer diagnoses, but also differences in the quality of national cancer surveillance systems and data reporting as well as policies related to cancer screening and early detection (see indicator “Cancer Screening” in Chapter 6). In addition to incidence data, countries rely heavily on their cancer registries to provide key information such as stage of diagnosis, survival and mortality data. In 2024, the EU is allocating EUR 13 million via an EU4Health Joint Action to help Member States improve their cancer registries to ensure more accurate, complete and timely data for assessing cancer control.
In terms of cancer burden, tobacco is by far the leading risk factor in Europe, followed by alcohol consumption, poor diets, obesity and occupational risks (OECD, 2024[2]). Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, launched in 2021, has primary prevention as one of its four pillars, alongside early detection, diagnosis and treatment, and improving the quality of life of cancer patients and survivors (European Commission, 2022[3]).
With population ageing and advancements in cancer detection and care leading to improvements in survival rates, European countries are seeing a major increase in the number of people living with cancer. In 2020, an estimated 22 million people alive in the EU had ever received a cancer diagnosis. Five‑year cancer prevalence rates in the EU are estimated at 1 876 per 100 000 people in 2022, with rates about 10% higher among men than women (IARC, 2024[4]). Similar to incidence trends, Denmark and the Netherlands are the EU countries with the highest prevalence, while Bulgaria, Luxembourg and Romania have substantially lower rates. Between 2010 and 2020, age‑standardised lifetime cancer prevalence in the EU increased by 24% (Figure 3.12) (De Angelis et al., 2024[5]). Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia have seen increases in lifetime cancer prevalence of about 40% or more during this period.
To manage increasing prevalence, countries are developing their cancer care and reintegration models. This includes investments in palliative care services, psychosocial support and return-to-work programmes. In October 2023, the EU Consumer Credits Directive was adopted, recognising the “right to be forgotten” and regulating that health information after a certain period of cancer survival cannot be used for assessing financial creditworthiness. The Directive allows countries to set their own time limits (not to exceed 15 years) after which such health information cannot be requested. Eight EU countries already had such “right to be forgotten” in place before this Directive (Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania and Spain).
