Lung cancer and cancer innovation: why Europe must protect progress

A new era in lung cancer care

Lung cancer care is moving faster than many people realise.

Over the past decade, advances in science and treatment have started to change what is possible for people diagnosed with the disease. Targeted therapies are improving outcomes for some people whose cancers carry specific genetic mutations. Biomarker testing is helping clinicians understand which treatments may work best for each individual. Immunotherapy has transformed care for many people with advanced disease, while new approaches including antibody-drug conjugates and therapeutic cancer vaccines are moving through research and clinical trials.

Why the challenge remains urgent

Lung cancer remains one of Europe’s biggest cancer challenges and it is still the leading cause of cancer death across the continent, responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths every year. Many people are diagnosed at a late stage, when treatment options can be more limited and survival rates lower. For those living with lung cancer and their families, the impact can be devastating physically, emotionally and financially.

Yet there are also reasons for hope. More people are living longer than would have seemed possible not long ago. Earlier diagnosis, better screening approaches and more personalised treatments are beginning to change expectations around care and survival. In some countries, lung cancer is increasingly being treated as a disease that can be managed over time rather than an immediate death sentence.

But progress in science does not automatically mean progress for everyone.

Across Europe, people affected by lung cancer can still face major inequalities in care. Access to screening programmes differs widely between countries. Some people experience delays in diagnosis or biomarker testing that can affect treatment decisions. Access to clinical trials is uneven, and newer medicines may be available quickly in one healthcare system while remaining out of reach in another.

For people with lung cancer, these differences are not abstract policy problems. They can determine whether someone receives the right treatment at the right time, whether they have access to innovative therapies, and ultimately whether they have a better chance of survival.

European cancer policy must not only be about research funding, investment strategies or health system planning. It must be about whether innovation reaches people quickly enough to make a meaningful difference in their lives. And ensuring that scientific breakthroughs do not remain concentrated in a small number of countries or specialist centres. We need to protect momentum at a time when healthcare systems across Europe are under growing pressure.

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed how vulnerable cancer services can be to disruption. Screening programmes were paused, diagnoses were delayed and treatment pathways were interrupted in many countries. At the same time, Europe faces wider challenges including workforce shortages, rising healthcare costs and increasing global competition in medical innovation.

That is why the new policy paper, Europe at a Crossroads: Securing Lasting Leadership in Cancer Care and Innovation, is so relevant to lung cancer.

Initiated and funded by AstraZeneca, and developed with cancer experts, advocates and policy leaders from across Europe, the paper looks at what Europe needs to do next to protect progress in cancer care as Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan moves towards its conclusion in 2027.

The paper argues that Europe cannot afford to become complacent. While important progress has been made through Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, there is still significant work needed to ensure that innovation translates into better outcomes for people with cancer across all member states. This includes strengthening research collaboration, improving access to diagnostics and treatments, supporting clinical trials, and ensuring healthcare systems are prepared to deliver increasingly personalised cancer care.

For the lung cancer community, these priorities are especially important. Biomarker testing, for example, is now central to many treatment decisions, yet access and quality can vary considerably across Europe. Without timely and accurate testing, people may miss opportunities to receive therapies that could benefit them. Similarly, access to multidisciplinary care, specialist expertise and modern treatment pathways remains inconsistent.

Patient organisations also have a critical role to play. People affected by lung cancer bring lived experience that can help inform better policies and healthcare systems. They must play an essential role in discussions about access, quality of care, research priorities and the barriers people continue to face.

For Lung Cancer Europe, the message is clear: Europe must keep setting the pace in cancer care, with innovation reaching people faster and more fairly.