Taking action against cancer: prevention and detection
"Contrary to popular belief, cancer is not necessarily a fatality." It is important to be aware of the risk factors identified by science and to work together to adopt a healthy, balanced lifestyle in order to reduce exposure to these risks on a daily basis", says Martine Deprez, Minister of Health and Social Security.
Ahead of World Cancer Day, initiated by the International Union Against Cancer (UICC), the Minister wishes to highlight the efforts being made to combat cancer by adopting an adapted lifestyle, while reiterating the importance of prevention and early detection.
Key figures for Luxembourg
In 2022, figures show that tumours cause 1,099 deaths each year. These tumours therefore account for around 25% of all deaths, with a crude mortality rate of 162 deaths per 100,000 population. More specifically, in men, lung cancer is the leading cause of death, with 109 cases, followed by prostate cancer (47 deaths) and pancreatic cancer (46 deaths). Among women, breast cancer caused 105 deaths, followed by lung cancer (81 deaths) and pancreatic cancer (52 deaths)[1].
Cancer doesn't have to be fatal
A survey carried out in 2022 by TNS Ilres and commissioned by the Fondation Cancer[2] revealed the level of knowledge of Luxembourg residents about cancer. According to the results, it is important to remember that the main risk factors for cancer are smoking, alcohol and being overweight, outweighing environmental or hereditary causes, or even unknown causes.
The Ministry of Health and Social Security is committed to informing and raising awareness among the population in order to reduce the risks of cancer through plans and programmes such as the National Cancer Plan (PNC2) 2020-2026[3], the Plan national de lutte contre le tabac (PNLT)[4], the Plan d'action et de lutte contre le mésusage de l'alcool[5] and the National Action Plan "Gesond iessen, Méi beweegen" ( GIMB)[6].
The Health Directorate's breast and colorectal cancer screening programmes have demonstrated their ability to detect the disease at a very early stage and increase the chances of survival. High-quality, holistic care is a key objective of the PNC2.
The PNC2 - a patient-centred approach to the fight against cancer in Luxembourg
The PNC2 aims to strengthen existing initiatives and support new projects. A number of themes have been identified, including quality of care, information sharing between healthcare professionals, diagnosis, access to information for the general public, national studies, availability of medicines and the development of specialities in paediatric and geriatric oncology, as well as oncology research. At the heart of this plan, patients will benefit from reinforced and integrated support at all levels of their care. This is the case with the national Colive Cancer[7] survey launched in 2023. Anyone affected by the disease can take part in the study by visiting the colivecancer.lu website to share their experiences and their struggle. Every patient can thus help to document and ideally improve the care of future patients.
Together, we can take action against cancer and deal with it on a daily basis
Many cancers are directly linked to the daily contact we have with products, viruses, food or excessive exposure to the sun. Quitting smoking and reducing alcohol consumption together can prevent a large number of cancers. What's more, a balanced diet and regular physical activity reduce the risk of cancer.
The Ministry has developed a number of initiatives to encourage cancer prevention. These include the "no smoking challenge", a fun way of raising awareness of the benefits of quitting smoking and providing support for smokers who want to give up. At the same time, a smoking cessation programme offers personalised support, advice and methods for dealing with the urge to give up. Recently, the "Say no to one drink too many" campaign was launched to promote controlled alcohol consumption. This approach encourages everyone to take action to improve and promote their health.
The Cancer Screening Coordination Centre also plays a central role in organised breast and colorectal cancer screening, supported by regular awareness campaigns such as "Pink October" and "Blue March".
According to the latest available estimates[8], 30 to 50% of cancers can be prevented by avoiding risk factors and applying evidence-based preventive strategies. In 2022, 19% of tumour deaths in Luxembourg could have been avoided by preventive measures[9]. This is a reminder of the importance of making choices about diet, regular physical activity and avoiding harmful substances to significantly reduce our risk of developing or dying from cancer.
"This is a ray of hope that encourages us to continue to take active steps to protect our health", concludes the Minister of Health and Social Security, Martine Deprez.
To find out more, visit the Sante.lu website.
[1]Statistics on causes of death in Luxembourg − Fact sheet 2022: https://sante.public.lu/fr/espace-professionnel/informations-donnees/statistiques-causes-deces.html
What does Luxembourg know about cancer? TNS ILRES 2022 survey commissioned by the Cancer Foundation: https://www.cancer.lu/fr/la-population-face-au-cancer
[3] National Cancer Plan 2020-2024 − 2020-2024, Health Directorate, 2020: https://sante.public.lu/fr/publications/p/plan-national-cancer-brochure-2020-2024.html
[4] National Tobacco Control Plan (PNLT 2016-2020): (PNLT 2016-2020): https://sante.public.lu/fr/espace-professionnel/plans-nationaux/plan-action-anti-tabac-2016-220.html
[5] Action plan to combat alcohol misuse (PALMA) 2020-2024: https://sante.public.lu/fr/publications/p/plan-national-alcool-2020-2024.html
[6] 2018-2025 GIMB National Plan ("Gesond iessen, Méi beweegen). Available at: https://gimb.public.lu/en/programme-gimb/plan-cadre-national.html
[7] Colive Cancer, enquête nationale: https://www.colivecancer.lu
[8] World Health Organization, "Cancer: prevention and screening": https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer
[9] Saleh S., Abad D., Weiss J. (2023). Statistics on the causes of death in Luxembourg for the year 2022, Health Directorate, Luxembourg: sante.lu/statistiques-causes-deces