In March, partners of the EUCanScreen project gathered in Bled for the kick-off meeting of the work package on the sustainability of cancer screening programmes in Europe, led by Slovenia (Institute of Oncology Ljubljana). The kick-off meeting brought together around 90 cancer screening experts from across Europe.

Over three days, participants exchanged knowledge, shared best practices, and discussed determinants related to successful implementation, operation and development of sustainable, and impactful organised population‑based cancer screening in Europe. Through presentations, poster sessions, and interactive workshops, discussions focused on:

• sustainability of impactful screening programmes across Europe,
• governance and leadership,
• overcoming barriers in implementation,
• quality and cost-effectiveness, modelling and prioritisation in cancer screening,
• peer support and networking.

Exchange of Experiences Across Europe

Poster sessions showcased experiences from target countries (Estonia, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine) and supporting countries (Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Slovenia)— outlining national screening systems, key challenges and good practices that can inspire improvements in cancer screening in target countries as well across Europe.

These exchanges helped identify common priorities, areas where support is most needed, and opportunities for collaboration within the EUCanScreen project.

Authors

Urška Ivanuš, Elizabeta R. Pepevnik, Mateja Doležalek