European Code Against Cancer in practical aspects

Introduction: The growth in the incidence of cancer that had been observed in Europe gave rise in 1987 to the development of simple recommendations which were aimed to promote lifestyle changes by generating appropriate motivation, knowledge and skills.

Aim of the study: The European Code Against Cancer (ECAC) as an effective tool to fight with cancers.

Material and methods: The Code (English version), analysis of the Globocan and the National Cancer Registry data.

Results and conclusions: The Code comprises twelve simple messages: Do not smoke. Make your home smoke free. Take action to be a healthy body weight. Be physically active. Have a healthy diet. Limit your alcohol intake. Avoid too much sun. Protect yourself against cancer-causing substances. Protect yourself against harmful radiation. Try to breastfeed your baby. Remember to take part in vaccination programmes. Take part in organised cancer screening programmes for early detection of breast cancer, cervical cancer and bowel cancer. As shown by epidemiological studies, a third of cancer cases can be avoided by a healthy lifestyle, another third can be detected at an early stage and effectively treated. Unfortunately, as studies show, the Polish are not aware of the complementary roles of primary and secondary prevention, and do not change their habits despite knowing how to live a healthy lifestyle. If we do not manage to change our lifestyles, it some 20-40 years we may run short of human and financial resources to treat the disease.