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Rare Cancers Working Group

Joining forces in action

About Rare Cancers Working Group

The Rare Cancers Working Group (RCWG), 36 partner strong multi-stakeholder partnership, founded in 2008 and coordinated by the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), brings together scientific societies, patient and research organizations, healthcare and education providers, and the industry.

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What are rare cancers?

Rare Cancers are not so rare. They are more common than you think.

24% of all new cancer diagnoses, including all paediatric cancers, are rare forms of the disease. With 650,000 new rare cancer diagnoses annually and around 5.1 million people in the EU living with a rare cancer, rare cancers are not so rare.

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Rare Cancers in Europe

Despite the EU’s many achievements, the very nature of rare cancers adds a layer of complexity to overcoming the challenges they pose to patients, the researchers and the healthcare professionals who research and treat them. Thus, all policies at the EU level should to take into account the specificities of rare cancers to provide the best possible care to all patients.

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RCWG News

Policy News

For a Healthier Europe

ESMO Director of Public Policy, Professor Jean-Yves Blay, speaks to leading media outlet Euractiv ahead of the EU 2024 elections about the role of oncologists in delivering Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan during the new EU mandate and the upcoming Hungarian EU Presidency

ESMO Rare Cancers Working Group Statement on Rare Disease Day

The European Society for Medical Oncology’s (ESMO) Rare Cancers Working Group (RCWG) is a multi-stakeholder partnership which brings together scientific societies, patient and research organisations, healthcare and education providers, and industry

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