Abstract
Background
In recent years, the European Commission has supported an increased focus on rare
cancers in order to improve quality of care, disseminate best practice and set up
networks to improve access that is essential to continued progress. At European Union
(EU) conference in 2009, an agreement was reached to create a ‘European Standard of
Care for Children with Cancer’. In 2013, the European Paediatric Oncology Society
launched a Europe-wide survey in order to assess the implementation of the Standards.
Methods
Representative experts from 36 countries, including 27 EU members, were invited to
complete a questionnaire describing the quality of treatment and care received by
young cancer patients in their country, together with the characteristics of the health
care infrastructure and paediatric haematology–oncology (PHO) teams.
Findings
Thirty-five European countries provided comprehensive responses. Within the responding
countries, 341 PHO centres were identified. Only 18 countries consider they have full
diagnostic services, all necessary drugs and supportive care. The annual incidence
rate is approximately 146.1 new cancer cases/million children and adolescents. In
24 countries, paediatric haematology and oncology is officially recognised as a specific
qualification. A total of 1178 specialists certified in PHO are currently working
in Europe. Finally, 31 (88.6%) countries provide a multidisciplinary palliative care
for terminally ill children.
Interpretation
This survey provides quantitative data that demonstrate the current healthcare inequalities
for children and adolescents with cancer in Europe. This variability in care provision
and quality is likely to underlie the variation in childhood cancer survival rate
in these countries.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: April 28, 2016
Accepted:
March 18,
2016
Received:
February 2,
2016
Footnotes
☆This publication arises from the project ExPO-r-Net which has received funding from the European Union in the framework of the Health Programme (2008–2013), grant agreement nr. 2013 12 07.
☆☆Kathy Pritchard-Jones is in part supported by the National Institute for Health Research, Great Ormond Street Hospital, UCL Biomedical Research Centre, Cancer Research UK (C1188/A4614), Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity, and the European Commission FP7 project reference 261474: European Network for Cancer Research in Children and Adolescents.
Identification
Copyright
© 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
