According to the EU's report Conquering Cancer: Mission possible (2020) some 2.6 million people in the EU are diagnosed with cancer each year, and 1.2 million die from cancer. Europe comprises less than 10% of the world's population, yet has a quarter of all global cancer diagnoses (22.8% in 2020 according to the World Health Organization Global Cancer Observatory) .
As medical science reduces mortality from many other diseases, the incidence of cancer is expected to increase rapidly because of ageing populations, unhealthy lifestyles and unfavourable environmental conditions. Without resolute action, the number of cancer cases in Europe is set to increase by 24% by 2035, making it the leading cause of death in the EU. Innovation in cancer-combatting technologies is essential if this challenge is to be addressed.
Global success depends on access to the right know-how as well as to the technical information contained in patents, which describe the most recent advances and can support scientists and researchers in finding inventive solutions. These innovators have the most to gain from patent information, but are often unfamiliar with how to use EPO patent databases. This is why the EPO's examiners, who are highly skilled in running complex search strategies, have put their expert knowledge at your service, writing precise search statements that can be run in Espacenet with little or no prior experience.
Cancer is an umbrella term for more than 200 diseases. These have in common the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal body cells, affecting tissues and organs. This platform therefore presents over 130 datasets across four broad themes.
The search queries result from the synergy of expert patent examiners and analysts from the European Patent Office (EPO), and from national patent offices of Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and Türkiye who have joined forces to support scientists and innovators in their endeavours.
UN Sustainable Development Goals
This platform contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
The target of this SDG for non-communicable diseases for 2030 is "to reduce by one third premature mortality through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being."