Fifth EAPM Presidential Conference

Innovation, Guidelines and Screening: The Case of Lung Cancer

Brussels, Belgium, 27-28 March, 2017

EAPM held its fifth annual conference at the prestigious Bibliothиque Solvay on Tuesday 28 March, which was preceded by a Maltese Presidency dinner and speeches in the European Parliament the night before. The conference, sponsored by by Siemens, Intel, Novartis, Medtronic and MSD Be well, and entitled ‘Innovation, Guidelines and Screening: The Case of Lung Cancer’ took a close look at lung-cancer screening, although its general subject matter was broader than that, focusing on many of the issues that affect personalised medicine today.

The World Health Organization has predicted that cancer will skyrocket over the coming decades – new cases of cancer globally are expected to increase by 70% over the next 20 years, from around 14 million to 25 million. A huge challenge. More than 130 high-level delegates and speakers attended the event, are more than prepared to meet it.

Within the EU, meanwhile, lung cancer is also the biggest killer of all cancers, responsible for almost 270,000 annual deaths (some 21%).

From a preventative point of view it is, at the very least, surprising that the biggest cancer killer of all does not have a solid set of screening guidelines across Europe. The conference addressed that substantial issue.

Doctors need to quickly identify high quality, trustworthy clinical practice guidelines, in order to improve decision making for the benefit of their patients. And from a preventative point of view, patients are
overwhelmingly in favour of the use of cutting-edge companion diagnostics that can tell them what diseases they have and may get in the future, and the best way
to treat them.

Research has shown that patient-centred care models are cost-effective and lead to better outcomes and patient satisfaction. Generally speaking, preventative measures need to be boosted across Europe, whether through better information for patients, bigger screening programmes and improved diagnostic tools that are available to all citizens regardless of where they live and their financial status.

There is therefore a need for more guidelines in screening for lung cancer. There is also a need for agreement and coordination across the European Union’s Member States.

Over 130 high level delegates and speakers took part in this event. Bulgaria was represented by Dr. Jasmina Koeva – Chair of the Board of BAPPM.