title: European Code against Cancer 4th Edition: Process of reviewing the scientific evidence and revising the recommendations.
abstract: The European Code Against Cancer is a set of recommendations to give advice on cancer prevention. Its 4th edition is an update of the 3rd edition, from 2003. Working Groups of independent experts from different fields of cancer prevention were appointed to review the recommendations, supported by a Literature Group to provide scientific and technical support in the assessment of the scientific evidence, through systematic reviews of the literature. Common procedures were developed to guide the experts in identifying, retrieving, assessing, interpreting and summarizing the scientific evidence in order to revise the recommendations. The Code strictly followed the concept of providing advice to European Union citizens based on the current best available science. The advice, if followed, would be expected to reduce cancer risk, referring both to avoiding or reducing exposure to carcinogenic agents or changing behaviour related to cancer risk and to participating in medical interventions able to avert specific cancers or their consequences. The information sources and procedures for the review of the scientific evidence are described here in detail. The 12 recommendations of the 4th edition of the European Code Against Cancer were ultimately approved by a Scientific Committee of leading European cancer and public health experts.
authors.affiliation: CPO Piedmont, University Hospital "Città della Salute e della Scienza", Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Minozzi
authors.affiliation: CPO Piedmont, University Hospital "Città della Salute e della Scienza", Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Armaroli
authors.affiliation: International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), 150Cours Albert Thomas, 69372 Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Espina
authors.affiliation: International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), 150Cours Albert Thomas, 69372 Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Villain
authors.affiliation: World Cancer Research Fund International, Second Floor, 22 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3HH, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wiseman
authors.affiliation: International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), 150Cours Albert Thomas, 69372 Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schüz
authors.affiliation: CPO Piedmont, University Hospital "Città della Salute e della Scienza", Turin, Italy. Electronic address: secretariat-cancer-code-europe@iarc.fr.
authors.forename: Nereo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Segnan
mesh_terms: D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005062:European Union; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000592:standards*; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards*
keywords: Cancer prevention; Europe; Evidence assessment