Every woman with access to a free national breast cancer screening programme should use it, Europa Donna’s executive director urged in an interview this week, highlighting prevention, early detection and post-diagnosis support as priorities in the fight against Europe’s most common cancer.
What the Commission announced
The European Commission published a conversation with Marzia Zambon, Executive Director of Europa Donna, the largest breast cancer patient advocacy organisation in Europe, timed for Pink October and Breast Health Day on 15 October. The interview sets out Europa Donna’s perspective on prevention, screening and the broader aims of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan — the EU’s comprehensive political commitment to address prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment and quality of life for cancer patients.
Zambon stresses the role of screening and healthier lifestyles in reducing cancer incidence, noting that 35% of cancer cases can be prevented through lifestyle changes, screening and early detection. She called for stronger health literacy at the point of diagnosis and more sustained support for people living with breast cancer, covering clinical care, mental and physical rehabilitation, and reintegration into work and social life.
Why it matters
The Commission frames Europa Donna’s message against the objectives of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, one element of which is to ensure that 90% of recommended target groups have access to evidence-based and quality-assured screenings for breast cancer. Improving uptake and access to screening programmes matters for individual patients and public-health systems because early detection increases the chances of effective treatment and can reduce long-term health burdens.
Zambon emphasised that a cancer diagnosis requires a plan that goes beyond choosing a treatment: it must include clear guidance, multidisciplinary specialist care and services that address the psychological and social consequences of cancer. She warned that life after treatment often feels different and underlined the importance of follow-up support to help survivors return to work and everyday life.
The interview also highlights persistent inequalities and barriers in prevention and care across the EU. Europa Donna calls for full implementation of the Cancer Plan at national and local level, saying the “paperwork is done” and it is now time for implementation — a distinction the Commission text presents as a call to move from policy to practical action.
What happens next
The published interview is part of the Commission’s communications around Breast Health Day and Pink October. It reiterates the EU-level target within Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan on screening coverage and serves as a public reminder to citizens to use available free screening services. The Commission did not announce new legislation or funding in the interview; it highlighted existing political commitments and advocacy priorities voiced by Europa Donna. Further steps to translate the plan’s targets into national practice remain the responsibility of member states and implementing bodies.
Europa Donna’s appeal is straightforward: increasing screening uptake, improving health literacy at diagnosis and expanding post-treatment support are practical priorities. The Commission’s publication of the interview gives those calls visibility at EU level, framing them within the bloc’s ongoing cancer strategy.
Source: European Commission press release
