Action grants to reduce liver and gastric cancers caused by infections

EXPECTED RESULTS AND IMPACT
Reduction of incidence of Hepatitis B infections and chronic diseases and reduction of Hepatitis C and Helicobacter pylori related liver and gastric cancers, respectively.

SPECIFIC MANDATORY DELIVERABLES AND/OR MILESTONES

The activities will include support to link the existing bodies active in promoting and implementing community wide programmes for early identification of HBV and HCV. In addition, activities will target the networking of clinical centres working in areas where high incidence of Helicobacter pylori has been demonstrated, or needs further assessment.

SPECIFIC ACTION-LEVEL INDICATORS FOR REPORTING PURPOSES

Applicants must include data on the following indicators in their regular reporting activities in case of award, and must be prepared to include additional specific indicators where needed:

Number of initiatives/actions targeted to support early identification of HBV asymptomatic infections.

Number of initiatives/actions targeted to support early identification of HCV asymptomatic infections.

Number of initiatives/actions targeted to support early identification of Helicobacter pylori infections symptomatic and asymptomatic).

Number of measures introduced to follow-up positive cases for HBV infections.

Number of measures introduced to follow-up positive cases for HCV infections.

Number of measures introduced to follow-up positive cases for Helicobacter pylori infections.

Number of types of material produced for disseminating expertise, best practices, and guidelines (e.g. studies, reports, handbooks, brochures…).

Number of countries/organisations/individuals reached by the funded actions.

POLICY CONTEXT

Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan aims to ensure access to vaccination against Hepatitis B and to treatments to prevent liver and gastric cancers associated with the Hepatitis C virus and Helicobacter pylori infections, respectively. According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), when compared with 2011, the mortality rate in 2015 for all cases of hepatocellular carcinoma increased by 5.3%, and progress towards the 2030 elimination target of a 65% reduction in mortality from the 2015 baseline is currently sub-optimal. Gastric cancer associated with Helicobacter pylori infection show important gaps in incidence across the Union. Moreover, there is an acute need to address the risk of liver cancer associated with these specific infections.

The action supports the implementation of the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan objective to prevent cancers caused by infections and implements the EU4Health Programme’s general objective of improving and fostering health in the Union (Article 3, point (a)) through the specific objectives defined in Article 4, point (a) and (j).

OBJECTIVES

The action aims to reduce the risk of liver cancers associated with infections caused by the Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C viruses and the risk of gastric cancers caused by Helicobacter pylori.

SCOPE AND ACTIVITIES
Each of the three types of infectious agents will be addressed by specific approaches targeted to support vaccination in case of Hepatitis B virus and to drug treatment in case of Hepatitis C virus and Helicobacter pylori. Specific activities will be dedicated to the early detection of infections, the cornerstone strategy to reduce the risk of liver and gastric cancer caused by the three mentioned pathogens.