The statistics associated with cancer incidence, prevalence and mortality are always overwhelming.  For 2009 there was an estimated 1,479,350 new adult and 10,730 new pediatric cancer cases in the US (1), and estimates for 40 European countries for new cancer cases in 2008 is 3.2 million (2). Cancer is the second leading cause of death among Americans and the leading cause in Americans < 85 years old. One of every four deaths in the United States is due to cancer.  According to the 2009 American Cancer Society statistical estimates, ½ of all men and 1/3 of all women will develop cancer in their lifetime  The trends for five year survival in adults for all cancer types is now 66%.  For children the survival rate for all cancer is now at 80%. This surviving population brings forth a whole new host of challenges for individuals regarding late toxicities and adjustments from cancer therapies.  Since there is increased survival for cancer at all ages with early detection, it is imperative for continued development of optimal age appropriate and culturally sensitive methods to prevent, detect, treat, support, research and guide patients and the public.  

Effective education is an essential component for the war against cancer that is common to the entire disease spectrum - prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment, research, and survivorship. Past meetings of the AACE, EACE, and CPEN individually and collectively, have witnessed the presentation of numerous cancer education curriculum, initiatives and programs that varied widely across the cancer continuum.  The focus of this year’s meeting is to examine the impact cancer education programs have on their targeted populations; specifically to highlight  how education programs improved or changed outcomes for the patients, the public and/ or health professionals.