[{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/en\/article\/modal\/10817\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E Young cancer survivors in Europe get increased post-cure help\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELeontien Kremer shifted the entire focus of her work as a young doctor in 1997 after an encounter she had with a cured cancer patient.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We had treated a boy of 16 for bone cancer, but then he came back a fewer years later with severe heart failure,\u2019 said Kremer, a paediatrician and professor of late effects in paediatric oncology at the Princess M\u00e1xima Centre in the Dutch city of Utrecht.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELate effects\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe case motivated her to study cancer survivors in the Netherlands. She discovered that one in 20 patients treated with a type of anticancer drug developed heart failure as many as 30 years after treatment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018This was much higher than we had suspected,\u2019 said Kremer, who now runs a research group that specialises in improving the care of childhood cancer survivors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile a cancer diagnosis is less grim that it once was \u2013 a tumour is now more often removed or frozen in time with therapies \u2013 and more people survive the disease, the longer-term effects of treatments for it are gaining medical scrutiny.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENone of this is to downplay the impact of cancer itself.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the EU in 2020, 2.7 million people were diagnosed with cancer and 1.3 million people \u2013 including more than 2 000 children \u2013 died from it. The European Commission in 2021 pledged a range of actions in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/health.ec.europa.eu\/system\/files\/2022-02\/eu_cancer-plan_en_0.pdf\u0022\u003EEurope\u2019s Beating Cancer Plan\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;reflecting a high-level political commitment to tackle the disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese include research actions under a \u201cCancer Mission\u201d focused on new technologies and on the most advanced knowledge of the disease \u2013 from its start and progression to diagnosis and prevention \u2013 to improve patients\u2019 health.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERecognition is growing that many people who become cured of cancer can be vulnerable to a range of other illnesses later in life.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESpecial checks\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003EWe can say one out of three cancer patients will have severe late effects from their treatment.\r\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EProfessor Leontien Kremer, PanCareFollowUp\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs a result, these people should have special check-ups years afterwards because such examinations will save lives, according to Kremer.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDelayed harm to health stems from chemo and radiation therapy. While these powerful treatments kill cancer cells, they also injure healthy ones.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAlkylating agents\u201d, for instance, stop cancer cells from multiplying by injuring their DNA, but they can cause infertility several years later.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We can say one out of three will have severe late effects from cancer treatment,\u2019 Kremer said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBecause the number of cancer survivors will grow in the years and decades ahead, more cases of late health damage are expected.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStep ahead\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile some European countries including the Netherlands have drawn up plans of action for ex-cancer patients, Kremer wants to go a step further.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe helped set up a Europe-wide collaboration of physicians, researchers and survivors called \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pancare.eu\/\u0022\u003EPanCare\u003C\/a\u003E to take a closer look at late effects.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA project called\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/824982\u0022\u003EPanCareFollowUp\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;received EU funding to compile a \u201chow to\u201d guide on monitoring such delayed effects for paediatric cancer units across Europe. The project, coordinated by the Princess M\u00e1xima Centre, is due to wrap up in December 2023 after five years.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We should do this together in Europe, which will avoid a huge duplication of effort,\u2019 said Kremer.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe offered a concrete example in the area of cardiovascular health: with chemotherapies based on chemical compounds known as anthracyclines, the dose given influences the later risk of heart damage and whether a person should get a test every two or every five years.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf a problem is spotted, a person can receive drugs to lower the risk of severe heart disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBig benefits\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe potential benefits of this approach are far-reaching given the numbers involved.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003EIt is important to be alive, symptom-free, but it\u2019s also important to have a good quality of life.\r\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EDr Giovanni Apolone, EUonQol\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn Italy, with a population of almost 60 million, around 4 million people have or have had a cancer diagnosis, according to Dr Giovanni Apolone, scientific director of the National Cancer Institute in Milan.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018In the last 10 years we have made a lot of progress in detecting cancer earlier and then treating patients,\u2019 he said. \u2018When we are not able to cure the cancer, often we can freeze it.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EApolone knows about cancer from both sides of the doctor\u2019s desk. He was diagnosed with early kidney cancer 12 years ago.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe tumour was surgically removed. Five years ago, he had a relapse and now takes medication to keep the cancer in check.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EApolone leads an EU-funded research project called \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/101096362\u0022\u003EEUonQoL\u003C\/a\u003E to improve the quality of life of cancer patients and survivors in Europe.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPart of the Cancer Mission, the four-year initiative runs until the end of 2026 and plans to gauge patients\u2019 views through a survey.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe survey is due to be tested from June 2024 to October 2024 on a group of 4 000 people.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We will then use the final version to collect real data and have the first snapshot of the quality of life for cancer patients across Europe,\u2019 said Apolone. \u2018This will increase our capabilities to monitor quality of life at a population level.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPersonal perspectives\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHis own cancer has given him a new perspective.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018It is important to be alive, symptom-free, but it\u2019s also important to have a good quality of life, which is more than just an absence of symptoms,\u2019 said Apolone. \u2018Our tool will allow policymakers to collect information about the perception of quality of life in cancer patients and compare between countries and even regions within countries.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESuch information can help align standards across Europe, where the quality of care that cancer patients and survivors receive varies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EVictor Girbu, a cancer survivor from Moldova, sees plenty of room for improvement on this front.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cfigure role=\u0022group\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cimg alt=\u0022Victor Girbu\u0022 data-entity-type=\u0022file\u0022 data-entity-uuid=\u002215223c9a-52c4-42c6-b7c2-11285a86bc42\u0022 src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/hm\/IMCEUpload\/Photo%20-%20crop.jpg\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cfigcaption class=\u0022tw-italic tw-mb-4\u0022\u003EVictor Girbu\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\n\u003C\/figure\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018There is long-term follow-up care only in some countries,\u2019 said Girbu, who was diagnosed with kidney cancer after birth and underwent his first surgery at the age of six months, when his right kidney was removed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe continued to receive treatment in Moldova\u2019s capital Chi\u0219in\u0103u until the age of 17, when an orange-sized tumour was removed from his left kidney.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018After that I struggled mentally and physically,\u2019 said Girbu.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA law graduate, he got involved in an advocacy network called \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.youthcancereurope.org\/\u0022\u003EYouth Cancer Europe\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;while living in Romania and said efforts such as Europe\u2019s Beating Cancer Plan can trigger improvements at the national level.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGirbu is also engaged in a dialogue that the Cancer Mission has established with young survivors of the disease. The purpose is to gain a better understanding of their needs and to address them through jointly developed actions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBack in the Netherlands, Kremer is pushing for doctors and hospitals treating childhood cancer in Europe to broaden their approach.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018The focus is on surviving and reducing mortality, but we are convinced that the focus should also be on late effects,\u2019 she said.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E(This article was updated on 26 September 2023 to include Leontien Kremer\u2019s professor role at the\u0026nbsp;Princess M\u00e1xima Centre and to correct the name in the 19th paragraph of the chemotherapy drugs cited as an example by Kremer. They are\u0026nbsp;anthracyclines rather than anthocyanins)\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EResearch in this article was funded by the EU. If you liked this article, please consider sharing it on social media.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-bg-bluelightest tw-p-12 tw-my-12 tw--mx-16\u0022\u003E\n \u003Ch3 class=\u0022tw-font-sans tw-font-bold tw-text-blue tw-uppercase tw-text-lg tw-mb-8\u0022\u003EBeating cancer \u003C\/h3\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-inline-block tw-w-1\/6 tw-h-1 tw-bg-blue tw-mb-8\u0022\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EEurope accounts for a quarter of the world\u2019s cancer cases while representing 10% of the global population.\u0026nbsp;In the EU in 2020, 2.7 million people were diagnosed with cancer and another 1.3 million people died from the disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu\/funding\/funding-opportunities\/funding-programmes-and-open-calls\/horizon-europe\/eu-missions-horizon-europe\/eu-mission-cancer_en\u0022\u003EEU Mission on Cancer\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;aims to improve the lives of more than 3 million people by 2030 through a range of actions including treatment. As a major component of the EU\u2019s investment in cancer research and innovation, the Mission will deepen understanding of the disease, focus on prevention and earlier diagnosis and improve patients\u2019 quality of life during and after their treatment.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETogether with the Mission, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/commission\/presscorner\/detail\/en\/IP_21_342\u0022\u003EEurope\u2019s Beating Cancer Plan\u003C\/a\u003E is tackling the entire disease pathway from prevention to quality of life. It will enable expertise and resources to be shared across the EU, helping researchers exchange findings and medical staff and hospitals to tap into common sources of data.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/textarea\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003Cdiv id=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 class=\u0022ecl-help-block description\u0022\u003E\n Please copy the above code and embed it onto your website to republish.\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cinput autocomplete=\u0022off\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022form-n1whnbuegmd9inhd6af3xxs6zm1l7-a7rugqdejo0lq\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_build_id\u0022 value=\u0022form-N1WhnBUegmd9INhD6AF3xxS6ZM1L7-A7RUGQdejo0lQ\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003Cinput data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_id\u0022 value=\u0022modal_form_example_modal_form\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003C\/form\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","dialogOptions":{"width":"800","modal":true,"title":"Republish this content"}}]