All.Can Belgium

Are women equally represented in oncology research? Unfortunately, the data says no. A global analysis of 505 oncology drug trials (2000–2020) found that women made up only 40% of participants, despite certain cancers disproportionately affecting them. For example: ?? Women account for 77% of thyroid cancer cases, yet only 51% of trial participants. ?? Women represent 48% of colon cancer cases, but only 33% of trial participants. ?? Underrepresentation persists in lung cancer (39%), melanoma (35%), and pancreatic cancer (40%). Leadership also matters. Studies show that trials led by female principal investigators recruit more female participants (50%) compared to those led by men (43%). Yet, only 27.7% of oncology trials are led by women. These disparities are not just numbers—they impact treatment outcomes, drug efficacy, and ultimately, patient survival. While global data highlights this challenge, Belgium and other European countries are not exempt. Addressing this inequity requires greater female representation in research leadership and a commitment to inclusive trial designs. It’s time to ensure all patients are properly represented in cancer research. Let’s work together to close the gap. #GenderEquity #OncologyResearch #ClinicalTrials #WomenInScience #CancerCare #IWD2025 #AccelerateAction Sources: ? https://lnkd.in/e48ezi3H ? https://lnkd.in/eYADysPR ? https://lnkd.in/ePeDfZre

?? Jouw stem telt! Vul de enquête in over zeldzame ziekten! Het Europees Parlement wil weten wat mensen met een zeldzame ziekte écht nodig hebben. Daarom hebben ze een enquête gelanceerd. Jouw ervaringen en mening kunnen helpen om zorg en behandelingen te verbeteren! ?? ?? In Europa leven zo’n 27 tot 36 miljoen mensen met een zeldzame ziekte. ?? Omdat er per ziekte maar weinig pati?nten zijn, is het vaak moeilijk om de juiste diagnose en zorg te krijgen. ?? Met deze raadpleging krijgen beleidsmakers beter inzicht in wat er nodig is voor betere zorg en ondersteuning. ?? Hoe kan jij helpen? ?? Vul de enquête in: https://lnkd.in/dgiPPWNp ?? Het is anoniem en duurt maar een paar minuten. ?? Open tot 28 maart 2025. ?? Deel dit bericht om zoveel mogelijk mensen te bereiken! Samen kunnen we écht iets veranderen. ??? #ZeldzameZiekten #Enquête #Gezondheidszorg #SamenSterker #JouwStemTelt #cumcura #cumcuravzw #sarcoma #desmoid #giantcell #sarcomapatients #lotgenoten #patientadvocacy

On this #RareDiseaseDay 2025, we want to highlight the work of patient organizations working to improve rare disease care. For people with a rare cancer or other rare disease, it is often difficult to get access to good care. An important European step was taken earlier this month with the creation of the Intergroup on Cancer and Rare Diseases. The aim of the Intergroup is to: ??? ensure the ?????????????????? of cancer and rare disease policies in the EU ??? provide a ?????????? ?????? ???????????????????? and draw attention to urgent and emerging policy opportunities and challenges related to cancer and rare diseases policy ??? foster and promote ??????????-?????????? ?????????????????? on cancer and rare diseases policy in the EU ??? ?????????????? ???? ???????????????????? related to cancer and rare diseases, and work closely with civil society to develop and propose concrete policy recommendations and advocate for the rights of those affected. Check out the website of EURORDIS-Rare Diseases Europe for more information: https://lnkd.in/evRxbNtK

? How can we eliminate HPV-related cancers in Belgium by 2030? That was the key question at the roundtable we attended this morning at the federal parliament. This question is not without reason. Every year, 1,000 people in Belgium are diagnosed with cancer caused by #HumanPapillomavirus (HPV). These include 639 cases of #cervicalcancer, but HPV also causes other cancers, including in men. Think of vulvar and vaginal cancer, anal cancer, head and neck cancer, and penile cancer. During the roundtable, experts presented the whitepaper "?????????????????? ???????????? ????????????: ?? ?????????????? ???? ?????????????????????? ??????-?????????????? ?????????????? ???? ??????????????" (*). The whitepaper outlines clear ambitions by 2030 to reduce the impact of HPV-related cancers in Belgium, among other things: ?? HPV vaccination for 90% of the target population? ?? Screening 90% of women for #cervicalcancer? ?? Screening for anal cancer within the at-risk population at risk Anne De Middelaer, president at patient organization Gynca's, urged all stakeholders to take action now. "We believe this is the moment to permanently eliminate HPV-related cancers in Belgium. Let's work together to ensure that cervical cancer and other HPV-related cancers are a thing of the past within five years. Sweden has shown it is possible. Now it is up to Belgian policymakers to make this happen." ?? Thank you to Anne en Gynca's for organizing this important event! ?? Keep an eye on our page for a recap of the event and insights from various politicians. (*) You can download the whitepaper here: https://lnkd.in/eFvNVARg #cancercare #HPV #publichealth #earlydetection #cancerscreening #vaccinessavelives

?? Thank you for your energy, Johan Thibo. ?? This past weekend, we received the heartbreaking news that Johan Thibo passed away on February 15. In 2022, together with fellow patients and friends, Johan founded PROLONG VZW, an organization dedicated to supporting people with #lungcancer or pleural cancer, as well as their loved ones. Through Prolong vzw, we had the privilege of working with him at All.Can Belgium. ?? Despite his illness, Jo always found the strength to advocate for fellow patients, their families, and friends. He was one of the driving forces behind the 2023 campaign to break the stigma surrounding lung cancer – reminding the world that lung cancer patients deserve support, not judgment. It was a message we at All.Can Belgium were proud to stand behind. Last year, Jo worked tirelessly behind the scenes on the Clear The Air On Lung Cancer campaign (cleartheair.be), focused on dispelling misconceptions about the disease. Sick or not, Jo was among the first to sign up for the major campaign day at Brussels-Central scheduled for November 2024. His determination truly knew no limits. ???????? Jo, thank you for everything you have done for cancer patients in Belgium. Your legacy is in good hands with Prolong, which is now further strengthening its collaboration with ALK Positive Belgium. ???? ???????????? ???? ?????? ?????????????? ???? ?????? ???????? ???????????? ?????????????? ?????????? ?????? ??????.?????? ?????????????? ???? ?? ??????????.

?? Pushing boundaries in oncology – a conversation with Prof. Ahmad Awada Are you looking for fresh insights into the future of oncology and drug development? Don’t miss this inspiring conversation with our Chair, Prof. Ahmad Awada, on the EMJ Podcast. Prof. Awada shares his vision for the future of cancer care and discusses key topics, including: ? ESMO 2024 and 2025 ? Therapy developments in oncology ? Surgery in stage 4 breast cancer ? The essential role of the patient voice in shaping better outcomes His greatest wish for the future? ?? Vaccines to prevent cancer We consider ourselves extremely fortunate to have Prof. Ahmad Awada, an internationally renowned oncology expert, as our Chair. His expertise and drive are invaluable in advancing patient-centric cancer care. ?? Listen now: https://lnkd.in/eXE-Xz9q #OncNow #cancercare #oncology #patientcentriccare #EMJPodcast Jonathan Sackier - Innovator, Aviator and Health Commentator CHIREC Hospital Group?

"Cancer without Taboo" (Cancer sans tabou) is the name of a brand-new French-language platform launched on February 4 by cancer patients, for cancer patients. ?? Ambassadors Magali, Delphine, and Paolo have all faced cancer. When they were diagnosed, they felt very lonely and abandoned to their fate. This shared experience connects them and fuels their belief that things can – and must – be different. Through "Cancer without Taboo", they aim to break taboos about living with cancer and offer hope to others by providing clear, positive information. They were inspired by the Dutch-language platform "Clear View on Cancer" (Klare Kijk op Kanker), launched by Freya Rowaert in 2022. Freya, now 46, was diagnosed with synovial sarcoma, a rare cancer, at 23. With “Clear View on Cancer”, she wants to help other patients navigate the many challenges that come with a cancer diagnosis. ? It’s great to see initiatives like these emerge and grow. Because the patient voice is crucial in cancer care – and in healthcare overall. ?? Discover the platform "Cancer without Taboo": https://lnkd.in/edsVUg8T ?? Read our interview with Freya Rowaert from October last year: https://shorturl.at/MMe17 #patientempowerment #healthliteracy #cancercare #CancerSansTabou #KlareKijkOpKanker #GetCheckedEarly #sarcoma?

You can develop fantastic new vehicles. However, if there is no proper road infrastructure, they will remain mainly trapped in showrooms. ?? In an opinion piece in De Morgen today, Geert Verrijken, former editor-in-chief of Artsenkrant, advocates making new reimbursement procedures for cancer drugs an absolute priority. The research into new cancer treatments is advancing at a rapid pace. More and more new, precise medications are emerging for increasingly targeted (and therefore smaller) groups of patients. This is good news because, thanks to the new therapies, the survival rate (*) of cancer patients can significantly improve. But developing medications is only part of the story. To make a real difference, they also need to reach patients. And that's where the problem lies in Belgium, writes Verrijken. Figures sometimes speak louder than words. ? After a new cancer drug is approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), it still takes an average of 640 days before it is reimbursed in Belgium. ??A third of all new cancer drugs approved by EMA do not make it through the reimbursement process in our country. In other words: they are not reimbursed here. If we want to change that, we urgently need to focus on process innovation: developing evaluation and reimbursement procedures that better align with the speed of therapy innovation. Under the previous government, some important steps have already been taken, and the De Wever I government wants to continue on that path. ?? Let's work together to make this happen. Today, Belgium is internationally leading in cancer research, but Belgian cancer patients are not benefiting from this enough. That can and must change. ?? You can read the full opinion piece (Dutch) here: https://lnkd.in/ektUwh8X (*) Survival is currently the key factor by which cancer therapies are evaluated. This too urgently needs to change, writes Geert Verrijken rightly: four out of five older cancer patients indicate that they value #qualityoflife over longevity... #cancercare #reimbursement #oncology #WAITindicator EFPIA - European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations All.Can International

The beginning of 2025 marked an important step forward for cancer survivors in Belgium: the "right to be forgotten" is now official law in our country. ??? ???????? ???????? ???????? ????????? If you were successfully treated for cancer five or more years ago, you no longer have to disclose this when applying for insurance. Previously, insurers were technically not allowed to consider a past cancer diagnosis when determining premiums or other conditions. However, former cancer patients were still required to report it –?which meant the right to be forgotten was not truly a reality. As a result, survivors continued to carry the label of "former cancer patient" and were left uncertain about whether insurers were truly treating them equally. ???????????? ???????????????????????? ?????????????????? The law now also applies to travel cancellation insurance. Previously, if you were a former cancer patient and had to cancel a trip due to health reasons, insurers often refused to cover the costs. Thanks to this legal change, insurers can no longer deny coverage for cancellations if you were successfully treated five or more years ago. ?? A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to making this possible –?especially to Prof. Fran?oise Meunier, whose relentless efforts behind the scenes played a crucial role in this achievement. #RightToBeForgotten #cancercare #inclusion Stichting tegen Kanker - Fondation contre le Cancer Kom op tegen Kanker Anneleen Van Bossuyt Wim Geluykens Euractiv All.Can International

?? Oproep voor deelname aan wetenschappelijk onderzoek ?? We zoeken huisgenoten van kankerpati?nten om deel te nemen aan een belangrijk onderzoek over de impact van kanker op het dagelijkse leven van naasten. Dit is een kans om bij te dragen aan wetenschappelijke inzichten en het welzijn van gezinnen in moeilijke tijden beter te begrijpen. ?? Wie? Huisgenoten van iemand met kanker ?? Wat? Een online vragenlijst invullen (ongeveer 30 minuten) ?? Waarom? Jouw input helpt onderzoekers de behoeften van naasten beter in kaart te brengen Ken jij iemand die hiervoor in aanmerking komt? Of wil je zelf deelnemen? Stuur dan een PB naar mij of naar Eline Verscheure Deel dit bericht om dit waardevolle onderzoek te ondersteunen! ?? #onderzoek #gezondheid #KUleuven #kanker #mantelzorg