23-02-2021 13:45
Hearing: From lab to life: transforming childhood, adolescent and rare cancer care

Brussels, European Parliament, József Antall (6Q2) and with remote participation
Teddybear, yellow ribbon and hands on a background of yellow, the international colour for childhood cancer
Cancer remains the principal cause of death by disease in children beyond the age of one © image used under the license from Adobe Stock
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BECA Committee special committee on Beating Cancer - European Parliament meeting room
BECA Hearing "From lab to life: transforming childhood, adolescent and rare cancer care" © European Union 2021 - European Parliament / AH
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Patricia   Blanc contributes remotely to the Beating Cancer Committee public hearing on childhood and rare cancers
Patricia BLANC, President of Imagine for Margo, Member of ChildhoodCancer International-Europe, Member of the Cancer Mission Assembly © European Union 2021 - European Parliament / EH
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Chiara Gemma MEP speaks in the Beating Cancer Committee about childhood and rare cancers during a public hearing
Chiara Gemma MEP (NI, Italy) © European Union 2021 - European Parliament / EH
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Loucas Fourlas MEP (PPE, Cyprus) speaks about his experience with childhood cancer during a public hearing organised by the Beating Cancer committee
Loucas Fourlas MEP (PPE, Cyprus) © European Union 2021 - European Parliament / AH
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Dr  Andrea  Ferrari contributes remotely via video to the Beating Cancer Committee hearing on childhood, adolescent and rare cancers
Dr Andrea FERRARI, Chair of the European Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOPEurope) Adolescents and Young Adult (AYA) Committee © European Union 2021 - European Parliament / AH
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Delphine  Heenen from KickCancer speaking remotely (on a screen) for the Beating Cancer committee hearing about childhood cancer
Delphine HEENEN, Committee Member at Childhood Cancer International –Europe and Managing Director of KickCancer © European Union 2021 - European Parliament / PB
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Ewa Kopacz MEP (EPP, Poland) speaking in a European Parliament meeting room
Ewa KOPACZ, Vice-President of the European Parliamentand Coordinator on Children’s Rights © European Union 2021 - EP / PB
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On 23 February, the Special Committee on Beating Cancer put the spotlight on paediatric, adolescent and rare cancers. The public hearing addressed research, treatment and rare cancer care and the rights and needs of patients, parents and survivors and caregivers.

Though there are many different rare cancers, due to their rarity they share similar problems concerning diagnosis and treatment. On the patients' side it leads to difficulties in accessing timely and accurate diagnosis, highly specialised care and adequate treatments. In healthcare systems, it manifests in poor research opportunities, difficulties in clinical trials and lack of therapies.

Paediatric cancers are all rare cancers and share the same challenges; but given their age-related, biological, clinical and organisational specificities, they need to be addressed distinctively.

Rare cancers represent approximately 25% of all cancer cases, making it a major public health issue.
You can watch the hearing again by clicking on the links below.