[Comment] Accelerating progress on EU cancer control

In the EU, cancer remains a leading cause of death accounting for one in four of all deaths, and is a major contributor to disability in many EU countries.1,2 Driven mostly by ageing populations, and the age-specific and sex-specific effects of smoking and obesity, the annual absolute number of new cancer cases is projected to increase from 3·9 million in 2018 to 4·7 million by 2040.2 About half of new cancer cases are breast, prostate, lung, and colorectal cancers. However, beyond the increasing incidence rates, the EU is facing challenges across the cancer continuum—from prevention to survivorship—that continue to contribute to a high burden of cancer and suboptimal cancer control.