RISE IN EU BREAST CANCER RATES MUST BE TACKLED - LIZ LYNNE

2.27.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 24th Oct 2006

Member States are still not doing enough to halt the continued rise in European rates of Breast Cancer among Women and Men, whilst victims who often suffer discrimination in the work place as a result of their illness must be given legal rights under EU disability legislation - that is the message from Liberal Democrat European Employment spokesperson Liz Lynne MEP, who is co chair and founder of the interest group "MEPs against Cancer".

Liz jointly tabled a cross party resolution outlining priorities for breast cancer which was debated by MEPs and Commission officials in the European Parliament in Strasbourg today.

Commenting on the debate and the resolution Liz Lynne MEP said;

"The life time risk of developing Breast Cancer for women in the EU is 1 in 10 and despite progress, its incidence is only increasing. Member States and the European Commission must do more to halt the continued rise of this devastating disease.

"The European Commission must look to provide better information and data on incidences of breast cancer across the EU, whilst ensuring that money is put into cancer and chronic illness research through mechanisms like the FP7 programme.

"There is an urgent need to share best practice. Currently the differences in detection, treatment, care and treatment in the workplace between Member States vary far too much. It is possible for breast cancer to be identified and beaten at an early stage.

"I welcome the European Commission's new guidelines on breast cancer screening and diagnoses, now Member States must sign up to them and more importantly, implement them.

"We must do more to educate women and men of the dangers of breast cancer and what to look for, whilst understanding that individual lifestyle choices can be as important as genetics in affecting the likelihood of getting breast cancer.

"The European Commission should develop a charter that can protect the rights of breast cancer patients, and all chronically ill people in the workplace, and encourage employers to make it possible for them to work during treatment and to reintegrate them into the labour market after treatment.

"In the future I hope that being diagnosed with cancer of any type will be classified as a disability, so that every citizen can benefit from EU legislation outlawing discrimination in the workplace on the basis of disability."

Editor's Notes

The joint motion for resolution put to the European Parliament also calls on the European Commission to provide more detailed data on breast cancer incidence, early detection and treatment and to look at how information and best practice can be shared across the enlarged EU

The Lisbon strategy aims for a women's employment quota of 60% by 2010.

275 000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer annually in women in the European Union according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer

35% of new breast cancer cases are currently diagnosed in women younger than 55 years. 12% are diagnosed in women under age 45.

Studies show that around one fifth of former cancer patients do not return to work.

Breast Cancer Rates - West Midlands region

(Source: West Midlands Cancer Intelligence Unit)

3,981 breast cancer cases were diagnosed in women in the West Midlands region in 2004

There were 1,137 deaths from breast cancer in women in the West Midlands region in 2004

Other important facts

Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in women in the West Midlands accounting for nearly one fifth of all cancer deaths in 2004

The incidence of breast cancer in women has increased by 45% over the last 24 years

Overall breast cancer mortality rates have decreased by 32% over the last 24 years