IS1211 - Cancer and Work Network (CANWON)

Each year in Europe, 3.2 million new cancer patients are diagnosed including 1.6 million patients of working age. The number of cancer survivors in Europe is rapidly growing due to improved treatment and ageing population. Many cancer survivors are at risk for unemployment which greatly affects their quality of life and financial situation.

Research on cancer and work is therefore of great importance but scattered over Europe and lacking appropriate dissemination. Moreover, interventions supporting employment of cancer survivors are urgently required but scarcely developed. This Action aims to combine European knowledge on: 1) prognostic factors of unemployment in cancer survivors including gender- and country-specific differences; 2) work-related costs of survivorship for both patients and society; 3) the role of employers; and 4) development and evaluation of innovative, interdisciplinary interventions which effectively support employment. Furthermore, it aims at disseminating research knowledge and best practice over Europe. The expected benefits are rapid exchange of research knowledge, standardised methods and techniques, innovative interventions, future guidelines on cancer and work and the improvement of quality of life of cancer patients.