Enhancing the digital capabilities of cancer centres in Europe to improve prevention and care

ongoing

Cancer is one of the most pressing issues that poses a large burden on society, governments, and healthcare systems. It is the second leading cause of mortality in most EU Member States after cardiovascular disease. Without strong action, cancer incidence in Europe is expected to increase by a fifth by 2040, which translates into more than 5 million new cancer cases. The rising use of telemedicine in healthcare offers a new window of opportunity for responding to population health crises, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. This Joint Action (JA) called ‘enhancing digital capabilities of cancer centers in Europe to improve prevention and care’ (eCAN Plus) aims to bring the benefits of digital health to all citizens, patients and health care professionals (HCPs) to improve cancer prevention and care across Europe. The project involves 23 EU countries and 83 key partners working in public health institutes, universities, hospitals, cancer centres and patient associations. The general aim of this JA is to build on the experiences from the JA eCAN to enhance the digital capabilities of cancer centres in the Union, with particular attention paid to opportunities in Eastern Europe, by: • Implementing a comprehensive training program for the development of digital skills (incl. telemedicine, telemonitoring, ehealth tools) in the prevention context among HCPs, patients, and the general public • Enhancing digital collaboration within and between cancer centres • Implementing telemedicine tools into different settings of cancer care to explore various clinical applications of these tools • Creating and implementing a solid, integrated framework for the remote follow-up and telemonitoring of cancer patients throughout Europe. This JA will develop a framework to test and pilot the integration of digital tools in a safe and secure manner complying with all applicable EU regulations in order to improve the use and re-use of health data for the benefit of cancer patients.