title: The EUROMED CANCER network: state-of-art of cancer screening programmes in non-EU Mediterranean countries.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The EUROMED CANCER Network project aims to support non-EU Mediterranean countries in the development of cancer early detection and screening policies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Through a structured questionnaire information from 15 countries (Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Croatia, Egypt, Jordan, UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo, Lebanon, Montenegro, Morocco, Palestinian National Authority, Serbia, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey) were collected on cancer epidemiology and control.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Large differences between countries are evident. Breast cancer (BC) is the commonest cancer among women, though the incidence rate is much lower in non-EU than in EU Mediterranean countries. Conversely, cervical cancer (CC) is much more common in the former than in the latter countries. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is more frequent in Northern than in Eastern and Southern Mediterranean shores. Population-based cancer registries are available in few countries but most of them lack information on disease staging. Opportunistic screening for CC and BC is unevenly spread across and within countries; organised screening programmes are rare and do not meet international recommendations. BC and CC early detection is extensively considered a priority, while a few countries included CRC into their agenda.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Collected data witnesses inadequacy of health information system and, in general, of the strategies for cancer control in the involved countries. A uniform approach for strengthening cancer control is not realistic neither feasible. Tailored preventive actions for cancer early detection have to be started concurrently with the development of a reliable health information system and, specifically, with cancer registration.
authors.affiliation: 1 Cancer Prevention Center of Piedmont, Turin, Italy livia.giordano@cpo.it.
authors.forename: Livia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.affiliation: 1 Cancer Prevention Center of Piedmont, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bisanti
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Prevention ASL TO1, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Salamina
authors.affiliation: 3 French Ministry of Health, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Rosemary
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ancelle Park
authors.affiliation: 4 JDB foundation for cancer prevention, Essone, France.
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sancho-Garnier
authors.affiliation: 5 Catalan Cancer Screening Plan, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Espinas
authors.affiliation: 6 National Cancer Institute, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Berling
authors.affiliation: 7 National Cancer Control Centre, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Gad
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rennert
authors.affiliation: 1 Cancer Prevention Center of Piedmont, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Castagno
authors.affiliation: 1 Cancer Prevention Center of Piedmont, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dotti
authors.affiliation: 1 Cancer Prevention Center of Piedmont, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jaramillo
authors.affiliation: 1 Cancer Prevention Center of Piedmont, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Nereo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Segnan
mesh_terms: D000352:Africa, Northern / Q000453:epidemiology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005061:Europe, Eastern / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008877:Middle East / Q000453:epidemiology; D012944:Social Support; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality