This month, the  European Cancer Organisation (ECO) published a policy paper entitled “Next-Level EU Cancer Survivorship and Quality-of-Life Policy: A Reflection on Progress and Gaps – Are We Doing Enough?”. The paper reviews Europe’s progress in strengthening cancer survivorship and quality of life since the launch of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan in 2021 and highlights ongoing gaps in access to supportive care. It aims to ensure that every person affected by cancer can benefit from equitable and sustainable care.

The Europe Region of World Physiotherapy and its Cancer Working Group contributed to the ECO policy paper, emphasising the essential role of physiotherapy from diagnosis through rehabilitation to survivorship (pages 47-48). Physiotherapy helps address the decline in quality of life that can result from cancer and its treatment, and is a direct enabler of resilience and recovery. Integrating rehabilitation throughout the cancer pathway is vital to ensure that all patients can live well, while reducing the risk of secondary complications and supporting return to work and social participation.

The recommendations presented here will form the foundation of a European Cancer Survivorship and Quality-of-Life Charter, to be launched in 2026. This Charter will outline a shared vision for embedding quality-of-life and survivorship as essential pillars of cancer policy and care.

Recognising physiotherapy as a fundamental element of cancer care is key to fully  supporting patients in living well during and after treatment, and to strengthening survivorship across Europe.

Cancer Working Group Members who contributed to this paper:

Nele Adriaenssens, PT, PhD, Prof

Cancer Working Group, Europe Region of World Physiotherapy

IPT-HOPE SIG Lymphedema Lead

Rehabilitation Research group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Medical Oncology Department, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium

Michele Cannone, MSc, BSc, Pmp

Cancer Working Group, Europe Region of World Physiotherapy

Fondazione Centri di Riabilitazione Padre Pio - Onlus - Foggia, Italy

Gráinne Sheill, PT, PhD

Cancer Working Group, Europe Region of World Physiotherapy

Trinity St James’s Cancer Institute, Dublin, Ireland