Czech EU Presidency Prostate Cancer early detection event – evidence and practice in the spotlight

On 24 November 2022 , the Czech Urological Society and the Czech ministry of health and national public health and cancer screening agencies are organising the Prostate Screening Forum (Prostaforum).

Prostate CancerOncologyEarly DetectionEU Cancer PlanProstate Cancer Screening

The meeting is taking place in Prague, but it is also possible to attend virtually. Please find more information and registration here.

Prof van Poppel and Prof Roobol will both give lectures at the event, and there will be the opportunity to hear the experience of the Swedish regions. This is a very important event, and well timed as the Czech EU Presidency have made the EU Cancer Screening Recommendations a priority for their Presidency and we hope they will be approved by the EU Council in December

The EU Cancer Screening Recommendations are being updated. After an 18 month scientific review process, the European Commission proposed that EU governments introduce population based early detection programmes for lung and prostate cancer, and only in certain conditions, gastric cancer. The EAU has been recommending a risk-adapted organised approach to Prostate Cancer to stem the tide of the increased metastatic diagnosis across Europe, and to limit the harm and inefficiency of opportunistic screening.

When approved, this Recommendation will mean that EU member countries will start to examine the possibility and feasibility of introducing Prostate Cancer screening in their own country, and the EU will guide that process by developing guidelines and quality assurance indicators. This will impact on the urological professionals, but also the wider health system in each country – including cancer registries or population databases, primary care, national screening teams, health economists (and payers) and researchers. It is really important that as urologists we are following the trend and keeping up to date with developments both nationally and in the EU.

The event on 24 November is an opportunity to learn how the Czech are considering all these issues, and how they are using international experts to advise their plans. We warmly recommend you to register to attend!