Welcome to PrEvCan – Cancer Prevention Across Europe
The ground-breaking, Europe-wide “Cancer Prevention Across Europe” campaign (PrEvCan) is aimed at reducing the burden of cancer.
The PrEvCan campaign is initiated and led by the European Oncology Nursing Society (EONS) with the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) as key campaign partner and the support of more than 60 other international and national organisations across Europe (see clickable map below on this page).
PrEvCan was launched at the opening of the ESMO Congress in Paris, in September 2022, marked with a special ESMO 22/EONS 15 collaborative policy session between ESMO, EONS and ECPC on 11 September, looking at the oncology workforce in the frontline for cancer prevention across Europe. The session highlighted cancer prevention from several different perspectives (cancer nursing, medical oncology and patients) as well as from the standpoint of the European union’s political agenda.
The campaign is based on the European Code Against Cancer (ECAC) which sets out 12 recommendations ranging from physical activity and dietary guidelines all the way to tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
Over a period of 12 months starting from October 2022, each month is dedicated to promoting one of these recommendations and highlighting the scientific evidence supporting it, with the dual objective of increasing awareness of how to prevent cancer among the general public and of providing healthcare professionals with a more comprehensive toolkit for communicating the importance of cancer prevention effectively.
In March, our PrEvCan campaign theme is – Limit your alcohol intake
If you drink alcohol of any type, limit your intake. Not drinking alcohol is better for cancer prevention. The less alcohol you drink, the lower your risk for cancer.
Drinking alcohol is associated with at least 8 types of cancer.
In this interview, cancer nurse and leader of the EONS advocacy working group, Helena Ullgren, discusses the scientific evidence supporting the connection between alcohol and cancer
Helena also explores ways that healthcare professionals can better enhance public awareness about this risk and effectively communicate the significance of cancer prevention. The interview, conducted by touchONCOLOGY, points to various resources that can assist individuals in reducing their alcohol consumption.
In this video below, Dr Lena Sharp on how to support patients to reduce cancer risk from alcohol:
Try these refreshing alcoholic-free drinks instead
Ice Tea with Jasmine & Lemon
Bring the water to a boil with the vanilla sugar and pour it into a container. Then add the tea bags. Chop the lemon balm very finely and add, together with the small vanilla seeds that you have removed from the vanilla pods. Let it cool down. Filter the tea and serve with crushed ice. Garnish with a sprig of lemon balm. Enjoy these refreshing Asian flavours!
Quatuor
Juice the grapefruit, the oranges, the mandarin oranges and the lemon. Add some ginger to taste if desired.
Add the mineral water to the fruit juice and serve chilled.
* Please download the toolkit for this campaign by clicking on ‘Toolkit for March’ in the Further Information column. This will take you through to the resources page where you can download the toolkit in your own language.
Waistline Challenge
We are also asking everyone to take part in the ‘Waistline Challenge‘ through January and February.
Download lots of great tools in the Further Information column on this page, to share this message with your patients and help you to discuss lifestyle factors without blaming or shaming. A positive approach and evidence-based information will help us all to stay physically active and reach our weight-loss goals!
Tell us what you are doing to reach a healthy body weight and be physically active by sharing your ‘Waistline Challenge’ photos and short videos on social media, tagging: #PrEvCan #CANCERCODE @cancernurseEU
We invite our PrEvCan supporting partners to help make a difference on these important issues by using the Toolkit resources.
All campaign resources in your own language can be found by clicking on ‘Tookit for [month]’ in the Further Information section on the right-hand side of this web page.
There are also lots of videos available to help you spread the PrEvCan messages.
Let us know what you are doing in YOUR country
Don’t forget to use the Activity Form to let us know what you are doing in your country.
You will find reports in the Further Information column (under ‘Campaign Reports’) about the exciting PrEvCan plans underway in Estonia, Finland and Greece, which may help inspire your own campaign actions.
Do you want to learn more cancer prevention? Cancer Prevention Europe (CPE) provides online certified and non-certified learning modules to build capacity and support knowledge transfer on cancer prevention from leading experts in the field. EONS is Affiliate Member of CPE, and recommends these useful resources for the PrEvCan campaign partners.
Find out more.
*When promoting PrEvCan on social media, please use the campaign hashtags #PrEvCan #CANCERCODE and tag us on Twitter, @cancernurseEU.
Advance Notice – Radon and Cancer Risk
What the cancer workforce need to know – 1 June 2023, 18.00 – 19.15 CET
Discussion with Joachim Shüz, PhD (IARC, WHO)
Moderator Dr. Lena Sharp (PrEvCan © Project lead)
*Watch this space! Registration coming soon!
Map – click on each country to see the logos of PrEvCan supporting partners
Download full list of PrEvCan supporting partners
Pan-European Partners
ESMO
ECPC
Onco-Alert
Youth Cancer Europe
International Sport and Culture Association
Coalition of healthcare
professionals against tobacco