We are proud to share that researchers from CancerWatch—Bob Pang, Kees Ebben, Irene Cara, Amela Duratović Konjević, and Gijs Geleijnse—have presented their latest findings at the IARC Annual Scientific Meeting, held in Tanzania in partnership with the African Cancer Registry Network (AFCRN) and the Network of Oncology Research in Africa (NORA).
Their poster, “Reporting national cancer statistics in Europe: a scoping review,” addresses a critical gap in how we monitor the cancer burden across the continent.
Key takeaways from the research:
The Data Landscape: While 33 European countries report national cancer statistics, the depth of this reporting varies significantly. For 11 countries, no nationwide population-based statistics were identified.
Gaps in Stratification: Although incidence is widely reported, stratification by stage at diagnosis and geographic region is not common. This limits our ability to understand and address cancer inequalities within countries.
Prevalence & Survival: The availability of national prevalence and survival statistics is less common than incidence data.
The review identified countries with rich, well-designed reports and dashboard tools. It emphasizes that visual communication (graphs, charts, and interactive dashboards) is essential for making cancer data accessible and actionable for policymakers.
Without harmonized and comprehensive national data, it is difficult for countries to effectively monitor and steer their national cancer control policies.
Congratulations to the team for contributing to this important conversation on improving harmonization and fostering collaboration between registries globally.