Revamped and updated European Cancer Information System (ECIS) now relies on the latest cancer indicators computed from European population-based cancer registries’ data. Managed by the JRC, ECIS makes it possible to explore geographical patterns and temporal trends of cancer incidence and mortality across Europe.
The update of ECIS provides new insights, such as the difference in trends in lung cancer between men and women, as well as decreasing stomach cancer rates over the years. Further use of ECIS data can encourage more targeted cancer policymaking, research, and public awareness.
The updated cancer figures support the assessment and comparison of the disease across time in different regions. Newly released data complement available time trends until most recent available years, showing the improvement in the timeliness of the data provided by the registries affiliated to the European Network of Cancer Registries (ENCR).
The last update of JRC’s ECIS dataset dated from 2018. Since then, many registries have contributed further with more recent data. The Commission recognises the essential role of population-based cancer registries for planning and evaluating cancer control programmes in each Member State.
The rising burden of lung cancer in women
The updated ECIS data shows a divergent trend in lung cancer incidence between men and women. While men have experienced a marked decrease in lung cancer incidence over time, there has been a significant increase of cases among women.
This disparity highlights the need for targeted public health interventions to address the growing burden of lung cancer among women.
Lung cancer incidence rates in women or men (depending on the data selected), between 1978 and 2022.
View the original graphs in the ECIS web application
Stomach cancer: declining incidence and mortality trend
In contrast, the updated data shows a steady decrease in both incidence and mortality rates for stomach cancer. This encouraging trend suggests that efforts to reduce the risk factors associated with stomach cancer may be paying off, along with better therapies.
Stomach cancer incidence or mortality rates (depending on the data selected) in women and men, between 1978 and 2022.
View the original graphs in the ECIS web application
Breast cancer in women remains a concern
ECIS data shows that incidence for breast cancer in women keeps increasing, even if at a lower speed in the recent years, while mortality is overall decreasing. Breast cancer remains the most frequently diagnosed cancers in women and the one with highest mortality.
Breast cancer incidence or mortality rates (depending on the data selected) in women, between 1983 and 2020.
View the original graphs in the ECIS web application
ECIS: a valuable resource for public health
The European Cancer Information System (ECIS) is an invaluable source of information about the burden and distribution of cancer in Europe. Widening its coverage, the historical ECIS database includes high-quality standardised data on 68 cancer types. The update includes data from over 125 cancer registries across 32 countries.
The updated ECIS web application now offers a more user-friendly interface for data navigation and improved information extraction, allowing policymakers, researchers and citizens to easily access and utilise the data. The new ECIS website aims to promote the use of cancer data for the benefit of public health.
At a time when some cancer registries in Europe are facing an existential challenge with cuts to funding and human resources, the new ECIS update shows the importance of continuation of their work for the monitoring of the cancer burden in Europe.
The Commission has decided to support the continuation of their work through a dedicated Joint Action, expected to be launched later this year, which will improve the quality, timeliness and accuracy of the data collected by cancer registries, as well as improve the coverage for some countries.
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Details
- Publication date
- 7 April 2025
- Author
- Joint Research Centre
