Cancer Prevention Europe (CPE) was established in 2018 as a European consortium to strengthen and align cancer prevention research across Europe. Building on the European Union’s EUROCAN+Plus initiative, CPE was created to address the fragmented landscape of cancer prevention by fostering collaboration, coordinating research efforts, and accelerating the translation of evidence into policy and practice. Alongside and in collaboration with Cancer Core Europe, CPE contributes to a more coordinated European approach across the cancer continuum, from prevention to care.
In its first phase, CPE focused on primary prevention and early detection, recognising the importance of reducing cancer risk and improving timely diagnosis. As the consortium evolved, its scope expanded to formally incorporate secondary prevention, including screening research and implementation, as well as tertiary prevention, reflecting the growing importance of survivorship, recurrence prevention, and improving outcomes after cancer diagnosis.
Today, CPE works across the full cancer prevention continuum, connecting research, policy, and implementation to accelerate evidence-based action and reduce the cancer burden across Europe.
Cancer Prevention Europe (CPE) is committed to reducing the cancer burden across Europe by advancing prevention research and strategies at all levels of prevention—primary, secondary, and tertiary. By fostering interdisciplinary research and action, CPE unites European countries in a shared mission to translate scientific evidence into effective, equitable prevention efforts. The mission is built upon four strategic pillars:
Advancing cancer prevention through innovative research approaches, including the continued assessment and identification of risk factors to strengthen etiological research. This also involves leveraging novel methodologies, emerging technologies, and fostering interdisciplinary collaborations to enhance the effectiveness and scalability of prevention strategies.
Bridging the gap between prevention, research and implementation by promoting and translating findings that refines and scales effective preventive strategies, drawing from epidemiology, implementation science, health promotion, and behavioural change.
Influencing the European cancer prevention agenda by advocating for policy changes that ensure cancer prevention receives adequate investment and is integrated into public health systems, with a focus on equitable access and impact.
Strengthening skills, fostering leadership, and empowering the next generation of cancer prevention researchers and practitioners through training initiatives, knowledge-sharing platforms, and the Early Career Network, which nurtures innovation and leadership across the field.
CPE envisions a future where cancer prevention is a cornerstone of public health in Europe, with collaborative, sustainable, and evidence-based strategies that benefit all populations. The vision is guided by:
A Europe where countries work seamlessly together, integrating key disciplines—epidemiology, implementation research, health promotion, and behavioural science—across all prevention efforts.
Long-term, shared research and prevention infrastructures that facilitate efficient and impactful collaboration, ensuring that cancer prevention initiatives are sustainable and adaptable across diverse regions.
A dynamic community of researchers, policymakers, and practitioners, supported by an empowered Early Career Network, driving innovation research, leadership, and continuous quality improvement in cancer prevention.
A commitment to the ongoing evaluation of cancer prevention research strategies to ensure their continuous refinement and optimization, maximizing their real-world impact and ensuring equitable outcomes across Europe.
Advocating for the implementation of evidence-based prevention strategies and integrating research findings into policy and practice to ensure meaningful population-level change.
Cancer Prevention Europe operates through a governance structure designed to support its mission and vision through the implementation of its four strategic pillars. It is structured around the following key components: Scientific Secretariat, Steering Group, Early Career Network, Core Members and Affiliate Members.
Core Members are the principal institutional partners of Cancer Prevention Europe and play a central role in the consortium’s leadership, governance, and strategic development. They are recognised organisations with expertise in cancer prevention research, committed to advancing the consortium’s mission, vision, and collaborative activities across the cancer prevention continuum.
Core Membership reflects a long-term commitment to the consortium and active contribution to its scientific and strategic activities. Core Members participate in the Steering Group and contribute to shaping the consortium’s priorities, initiatives, and future direction.
Core Members contribute an annual participation fee, which supports the Scientific Secretariat and the coordination, communication, and implementation of consortium-wide activities.
Affiliate members are institutions within the consortium that share the CPE mission but do not participate in decision-making in Steering Group meetings. They contribute by engaging in specific projects, collaborations and strategic initiatives, providing valuable expertise, resources, and connections. They do not pay an annual fee.
