Cancer Surveillance System within the State Public Health Surveillance Network to be created

The Minister of Health, Mónica García, has closed the Spanish Summit against Cancer, organised by the Spanish Group of Cancer Patients, and announced the creation of the Cancer Surveillance System, which will make it possible to harmonise the information currently available, coordinate cancer surveillance at the level of all the autonomous communities and, have quality information on cancer to improve research and evaluation of control and prevention programs.

“Each and every one of the actions of the Government of Spain in the fight against cancer have patients at the centre and therefore their participation and collaboration are essential,” she said. And, for this reason, the Ministry of Health’s roadmap is to “prevent, screen, treat and care for everything possible and from everywhere.”

This was commented after the celebration of World Cancer Day, and during the closing of the Spanish Summit against Cancer, organised by the Spanish Group of Cancer Patients, where she recalled that “cancer represents a challenge that calls for the active participation of the entire society, including governments, health authorities, professionals, experts and patients.”

According to what she said, this year it is expected to approve the Royal Decree that will create and regulate the State Public Health Surveillance Network, which will incorporate a Cancer Surveillance System.

The Government of Spain, commented Mónica García, is committed to expanding and strengthening the National Health System to guarantee that “all citizens have equitable access to screening tests, affordable treatments, psychological care and a comprehensive care network, ensuring that patients and long-term survivors receive the cancer care they need”.

In Spain, it is estimated that the incidence of cancer by 2040 will reach 341,000 cases and between 30 and 50% of these cases are avoidable. “For this reason, the priority of the Ministry of Health and the Government of Spain is to address the disease by preventing risk factors, reducing social inequalities and increasing participation in screening,” she indicated.

And on this path it is essential to put an end to the influence of the genetic code but also of the zip code: “We know that cancer affects those people with lower income or educational level, who in addition to having a lower participation in comparison in early detection programs, have a greater exposure to risk factors such as unhealthy eating, pollution or alcohol and tobacco consumption,” she explained.

For this reason, Mónica García considers that “we have the duty to address the fight against cancer in a multidisciplinary manner and that necessarily implies taking into account the impact of inequality, so that those people who suffer the most from this disease are not left behind.”

Thanks to the Cancer Strategy of the National Health System, agreed upon with all the autonomous communities, as well as the European Plan to Fight Cancer, actions are being carried out to improve this comprehensive approach to primary prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment. and quality of life.

Smoking

At the same time, the Minister of Health has indicated, it is necessary to take on the challenge of taking a step forward in the fight against smoking. “We know that tobacco is the most important risk factor for preventable cancer and that it has a special impact on those people with a lower socioeconomic level,” she stressed.

For this reason, the Government of Spain is committed to being a pioneer in the battle against smoking, gaining more smoke-free spaces to protect non-smokers from so-called “second-hand smoke” and guarantee more years of life, and years with better health.

And we want to address as a priority the new forms of smoking, which are becoming the gateway to addiction to traditional tobacco, especially among the youngest. “These emerging practices require our immediate attention to prevent future generations of tobacco addicts,” she said.

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