The Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission strongly supports the development of a harmonised cancer information system for Europe and the improvement of breast cancer services and screening guidelines. This announcement was made on the World Cancer Day 2013 which intends to raise collective awareness and improve general knowledge around and about cancer.

On 4 February 2013, World Cancer Day, the European Commission presents a snapshot of concrete EU action on cancer prevention and reduction across the EU. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) strongly supports this action, in particular the development of a harmonised cancer information system for Europe and the improvement of breast cancer services and screening guidelines. In August 2011, the Commission launched EcancerHub, a website to inform about the cancer.

The JRC is currently developing a harmonised cancer information system for Europe in collaboration with the European Network of Cancer Registries (ENCR) and important stakeholders, such as the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the EUROCARE group and others. According to the JRC, this will generate a dynamic European cancer atlas which will help guide and monitor European cancer policy interventions. It will also provide an invaluable resource for cancer epidemiological research, allowing greater understanding of the differences and related causes in population-based studies across regional and national boundaries.

In addition, the JRC is developing the first European voluntary accreditation scheme for breast cancer services, which will run in tandem with work on a process to update the 4th edition of the European guidelines on cancer screening. The scheme will encompass services involved in all breast cancer stages, from the first invitation to a woman for screening through to the diagnosis, surgery, treatment and post-treatment, including rehabilitation, palliative- and psychosocial-care. The JRC stressed that the scheme will be evidence-based and will place the patient at the centre of the process, thereby increasing the level of breast cancer control and care in the EU.