Cancer screening is being reviewed in Brussels

The European Cancer Screening and Early Detection Policy Summit, scheduled for 17–18 February 2026 in Brussels and online, represents one of the most important events in the European panorama dedicated to cancer prevention and early detection.

The event, organised by the European Cancer Organisation (ECO), brings together experts, researchers, policy makers and patient representatives to discuss the results of the main European screening programmes and define strategies for their large-scale implementation (source).

A renewed European agenda to save lives through early diagnosis

Over the past three years, the European Union has redefined its priorities for cancer screening, with the aim of strengthening programs capable of detecting cancer in its early stages and significantly reducing mortality.

This new political momentum has led to the launch of three pilot projects funded under the EU4Health programme: PRAISE-U (prostate), SOLACE (lung) and TOGAS (stomach).

The Summit will be a key opportunity to present the results of these projects, discuss the evidence gathered, and chart the course for the adoption of new screening programs at the national level.

Advances in prostate cancer screening and the role of PRAISE-U

The prostate cancer is one of the most common in Europe, and the lack of a uniform screening program has for years represented an obstacle to early diagnosis.

The PRAISE-U project aims to fill this gap by proposing a personalized, sustainable and individual risk-based approach, combining advanced diagnostic algorithms and targeted clinical assessment strategies (source).

What PRAISE-U has achieved so far

Findings to be presented at the Summit include:

• More accurate risk assessment models by integrating clinical factors, biomarkers, and next-generation predictive tools.
• Personalized diagnostic pathways, which reduce the use of unnecessary tests and improve the ability to identify clinically significant tumors.
• Guidelines for the implementation of national programs, adaptable to the health systems of different European countries.

PRAISE-U represents a decisive step towards more effective screening, capable of moving beyond the traditional approach based exclusively on PSA and oriented towards more sophisticated predictive models.

Towards the implementation of screening programs

The Summit will not only be an opportunity to observe the results achieved, but also to:

• define policy recommendations that keep early diagnosis at the heart of the European agenda;
• promote the exchange of experiences between the actors involved in the various projects;
• prepare the transition from the pilot to structured implementation in member countries.

With the participation of high-profile institutional figures, such as former European Commissioner for Health Stella Kyriakides, the event represents a turning point for the construction of a new European infrastructure dedicated to cancer screening.

NIB biotec at the Summit: Building Partnerships for the Future of Prostate Screening

As NIB biotec, we will be present at the Summit to meet the groups involved in the pilot prostate cancer screening programs active in Spain, Lithuania, Poland

Our goal is to initiate collaborations that integrate innovative tools and new scientific evidence into future screening pathways, contributing to the development of more effective and personalized strategies for the early diagnosis of prostate cancer.

This event represents a unique opportunity to strengthen our European network and advance our mission: making early diagnosis more accessible, accurate, and equitable for all.