A study has estimated nearly 30,000 excess lung and cervical cancer cases in EU countries with above-average incidence rates in 2024, revealing wide disparities across the bloc.
Italian epidemiologist Diego Serraino presented the findings at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress in Madrid on Monday, the ANSA news agency reported.
Based on European Cancer Information System estimates, researchers identified 29,412 excess cases in countries where incidence rates exceeded the EU average.
For lung cancer among men, rates ranged from 38 cases per 100,000 in Sweden to 130 in Hungary. Researchers estimated 11,105 excess cases across 12 countries.
Among women, Denmark recorded an estimated 83 lung cancer cases per 100,000, compared with 20 in Lithuania, with 13,441 excess cases across 11 countries.
Cervical cancer disparities
Cervical cancer rates were more than seven times higher in Romania than in Malta, at an estimated 36 cases per 100,000 women compared with five.
Researchers identified 4,866 excess cervical cancer cases across 10 countries, with Romania accounting for 2,475, more than half the total.
The researchers called for stronger anti-smoking measures to reduce lung cancer risks, alongside human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and regular screening to prevent cervical cancer and detect precancerous lesions early.
