Rise in EU breast cancer rates must be tackled

1.40.54pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 24th Oct 2006

Sarah highlighting the issue of breast cancer at the European Parliament in Strasbourg today

Governments are still not doing enough to halt the continued rise in rates of breast cancer among women and men in Europe. Victims who often suffer discrimination in the workplace as a result of their illness must be given legal rights under EU disability legislation - that is the message from London's Liberal Democrat Euro-MP, Baroness Sarah Ludford.

A cross-party Resolution outlining priorities for breast cancer was debated by MEPs and Commission officials in the European Parliament in Strasbourg today.

Commenting Sarah Ludford MEP said:

"The lifetime risk of developing breast cancer for women in the EU is 1 in 10. Despite progress, its incidence is only increasing. Member states and the European Commission must do more to halt the continued rise of this devastating disease."

"The European Commission must provide better information and data on incidences of breast cancer across the EU, whilst ensuring that money is put into cancer and chronic illness research."

"Breast cancer can be identified and beaten at an early stage. There is an urgent need to share best practice. Currently, the differences in detection, treatment, care and treatment in the workplace between member states vary far too much."

"I welcome the European Commission's new guidelines on breast cancer screening and diagnoses. Now member states must sign up to them and, more importantly, implement them."

"The European Commission should develop a charter that can protect the rights of breast cancer patients, and all chronically ill people in the workplace, and encourage employers to make it possible for them to work during treatment and to reintegrate them into the labour market after treatment."

"In future, I hope that being diagnosed with cancer of any type will be classified as a disability, so that every citizen can benefit from EU legislation outlawing discrimination in the workplace on the basis of disability."

ENDS

Notes to Editors

The joint motion for resolution put to the European Parliament also calls on the European Commission to provide more detailed data on breast cancer incidence, early detection and treatment and to look at how information and best practice can be shared across the enlarged EU

The Lisbon strategy aims for a women's employment quota of 60% by 2010.

275,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer annually in the European Union according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

35% of new breast cancer cases are currently diagnosed in women younger than 55 years. 12% are diagnosed in women under age 45.

Studies show that around one fifth of former cancer patients do not return to work.