A new paper, “Availability of Stage Information From Cancer Registries Providing Data to the European Cancer Information System for Six Selected Cancers”, has been published in the International Journal of Cancer. The study provides the first comprehensive Europe‑wide overview of how population‑based cancer registries contributing to ECIS collect and use stage at diagnosis data for six major cancer sites.
The analysis focuses on breast, cervical, colorectal, gastric, lung and prostate cancers, selected for their relevance to Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and to monitoring activities foreseen through ECIS. It documents substantial progress in recent years, while also highlighting remaining gaps and heterogeneity in stage data availability between countries.
The findings offer an important baseline for future European initiatives to improve completeness, comparability and harmonisation of stage information, strengthening cancer surveillance, research and evidence‑based policymaking. The work was coordinated by Cristina Bosetti and made possible through the collaboration of ENCR registries and partners, including the CancerWatch Joint Action.