ZAGREB, December 17, 2018 - Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Croatia, accounting for nearly one in four deaths, as well as 26% of all deaths in 2017, it was said on Monday at the "Fight & Win" conference, aimed at raising awareness of the importance of preventing and fighting cancer. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, cancer kills 164 persons out of 100,000 in the United States and 262 in the European Union.
In 2016, 27 persons out of 100,000 died of breast cancer in the EU and 47 in Croatia, said Croatian member of the European Parliament Dubravka Šuica, also a member of the informal group of MEPs "Members Against Cancer".
"It's evident that in the US they invest more and do more than in the EU. This shows that it's necessary to invest more in research, development and innovation, which is a priority for the European Parliament. Croatia has to become more involved," said Šuica.
"Cancer is a topic that's often not visible enough, yet it's a big social phenomenon endangering families and radically changing their lives. The number of persons with malignancies is constantly on the rise both in Europe and the rest of the world," said Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.
The number of those ill is rising because people live longer and many people reach an age when malignancies appear more frequently because of daily stress, which is one of the psychological triggers contributing to the development of malignancies, and cause of the high number of smokers and obese persons, in which Croatia is near the top of European rankings, he said.
Participants in the conference agreed it is necessary to raise awareness of the fact that cancer does not choose its victims and of the importance of prevention, healthy living, and check-ups for early diagnosis and treatment.
"The turnout for screening programmes is poor," Health Minister Milan Kujundžić said, adding that next year, alongside the three existing national programmes for early diagnosis of breast, colon and cervical cancer, programmes would begin for the early diagnosis of lung and prostate cancer.
A national cancer plan is currently in public consultation and Plenković expects it to be adopted in the first half of next year.
"Funds have been ensured for future screenings as well as for priority lists, which primarily refers to patients suspected of having a malignancy who should undergo diagnosis within seven days. All other big investments we plan to finance from EU funds," said Kujundžić.
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