New European scheme sets quality standards for breast cancer care

The first official version of the European quality assurance scheme for breast cancer services is now available on the European Commission web hub. The scheme defines a set of quality requirements for breast cancer care, covering screening, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. The aim of the scheme is to ensure quality and continuity of care across Europe.

Breast cancer services, including screening units, hospitals, cancer centres and clinics, can refer to the scheme to implement quality requirements and indicators to monitor and improve the quality of their services. A self-assessment tool will be made available to help services determine their preparedness to comply with the requirements of the scheme, and what they need to do to achieve certification.

The scheme is:

  • evidence-based and patient-centred,
  • focused on continuity of care,
  • voluntary, modular, and flexible.

The scheme is endorsed by the European co-operation for Accreditation (EA), the association which manages accreditation at European level.

The European Commission is preparing the rollout and practical management of the scheme and further information will be made available on the web hub for interested breast cancer services and certification bodies.

Most common cancer in women in the EU

Breast cancer is the number one cancer-related cause of death for women in the EU. According to estimates from the European Cancer Information System, breast cancer accounted for nearly 17% of all cancer-related deaths in women with a total of 96 000 deaths in 2022. Screening programmes are effective in preventing cancer deaths, and evidence shows that screening within the 50-69 age group can lead to a 34% reduction in breast cancer deaths.

Prevention, early detection, and equal access to quality medical care are therefore a priority in Europe, as outlined in the 2022 Council Recommendation on strengthening cancer prevention through early detection, part of Europe's Beating Cancer Plan.

More equal access to better quality care

Widespread adoption of the European quality assurance scheme and the European guidelines on breast cancer screening and diagnosis can contribute to the provision of more comprehensive and homogeneous cancer care services in the EU, ensuring that individuals across Europe have equal access to optimal healthcare. This will help overcome inequalities in accessing quality care across Europe, as well as facilitating patient movement within and between health systems in the future.

Background

The European quality assurance scheme for breast cancer services is developed under the European Commission Initiative on Breast Cancer (ECIBC) and is one of the actions of the EU Cancer Screening Scheme, which aims to ensure that 90% of the EU population who qualify for breast cancer screening are offered this type of screening by 2025. It is the vehicle to implement the European guidelines on breast cancer screening and diagnosis.

The European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) coordinated the development of the scheme, in close cooperation with healthcare professionals, researchers and patient representatives, and the Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (SANTE).

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