Finland has fallen behind other Nordic countries in the treatment outcomes of certain cancers, a statistic which needs to be urgently corrected. This statement was agreed on by speakers at the event organized by the Finnish Parliament’s Cancer Network and the Cancer Society of Finland, held at the Little Parliament on the 29th of April. Socio-economic differences in cancer incidence, screening participation and cancer survival also create concern, and need to be addressed through the implementation of Finland’s national cancer strategy.
The event was opened by member of parliament and chair of the Parliament’s Cancer Network Sari Sarkomaa (NCP), who in her opening speech emphasized the significance of the strategy’s implementation. Expanding the age groups for breast cancer screening and allocating RDI funding for the activities of the RDI-center for personalized cancer medicine, CANFIN, would be concrete steps towards strategy implementation. RDI investments as a part of the social and health sector growth strategy are an opportunity to support both public health and the national economy. In her speech, Sarkomaa stressed the importance of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health taking ownership of the implementation of the strategy.
The inequalities are startling
Service Area Director Hanne Kuitunen (Pohde) provided a comprehensive, research-based review of cancer-related inequalities. Both Finnish and broader Nordic studies have found that lower socioeconomic status affects not only cancer incidence, but also access to treatment as well as treatment outcomes. The studies showed that cancers in people with lower socioeconomic status tend to be more widespread, patients tend to receive less active cancer treatments, and cancer mortality tends to be higher. Equality is a cross-cutting theme in the national cancer strategy, and the impact of socioeconomic factors must be taken into account with problems addressed throughout the entire treatment chain, all the way from prevention to screening and early detection, treatment, and post-treatment rehabilitation.
In their commentaries, members of parliament Mia Laiho (NCP), Aino-Kaisa Pekonen (Left Alliance) and Vesa Kallio (Centre Party) emphasized the need for prompt actions to address the problems previously described. The members of parliament also found it important to include the cancer strategy in the next government program.
The cancer strategy recognizes current challenges
The director of the Finnish Cancer Center Tomi Mäkelä referred to the cancer strategy’s goals to improve access to treatment, survival rates for poor-prognosis cancers, and early detection of cancer. Successful implementation of the strategy requires sufficient resourcing as well as the commitment of government and political actors, as has been done in other comparable countries. The strategic goal At the cutting edge in a dynamic environment includes several proposed measures that both support the development of cancer care and bring in investments. In particular, these include kick-starting the Finnish Health Data Space (FHDS), supporting clinical trials, as well as establishing the RDI-center for personalized cancer medicine, CANFIN.
The implementation of the cancer strategy is an investment, Mäkelä emphasized.
Member of parliament Lotta Hamari (SDP) ended the event by emphasizing the need for funding and the inclusion of the strategy in the next government program.
A big thank you to all event organizers, speakers and attendees for your contribution towards advancing the shared goal of cancer strategy implementation.
