Advancing survivorship care through the National Cancer Survivorship Resource Center

The National Cancer Survivorship Resource Center (The Survivorship Center) began in 2010 as a collaboration between the American Cancer Society and the George Washington University Cancer Institute and was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Survivorship Center aims to improve the overall health and quality of life of posttreatment cancer survivors. One key to addressing the needs of this ever‐growing population is to develop clinical follow‐up care guidelines that emphasize not only the importance of surveillance for cancer recurrence, but also address the assessment and management of the physical and psychosocial long‐term and late effects that may result from having cancer and undergoing cancer treatment as well as highlight the importance of healthy behaviors that can reduce the risk of cancer recurrence, second primary cancers, and other chronic diseases. Currently, The Survivorship Center is coordinating the work of experts in oncology, primary care, and other health care professions to develop follow‐up care guidelines for 10 priority cancer sites. CA Cancer J Clin 2013. © 2013 American Cancer Society.     

The JICA Training Course,Community-based Cancer Prevention for the Asian and Pan-pacific Countries,Fiscal Year 2006 (Epidemiological Approach)

Communicable diseases are still major causes of deaths in developing countries. Cancer incidence, however,increased 19% between 1990 and 2000, mainly in this same developing world (Stewart and Kleihaus, 2003), andmalignant neoplasms are now the second leading cause of mortality in these countries (WHO, 2003). Limitationsof medical facilities and equipment mean that prevention is indispensable for cancer control (Mikheev et al.,1994). However, human resources concerning cancer prevention are also limited, and encouragement of theirdevelopment should be taken as a first priority. To assist in this aim, the present training course was designed bythe Division of Epidemiology and Prevention, Aichi Cancer Center Research Institute, Japan, and has beenannually conducted since 1999, supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) (Takezaki,2001; 2002; 2003; Wakai, 2004; 2006). The course targets doctors and public health workers who are responsiblefor community-based cancer prevention in developing countries to promote the introduction of comprehensiveprocedures, focusing mainly on primary prevention but also including screening for secondary prevention ofcancer.     

Photonovels: An Innovative Approach to Address Health Disparities and Sustainability

Medically underserved and underrepresented communities have high rates of health disparities. In the greater Tampa Bay area, communities of color are disproportionately affected by chronic diseases such as cancer. In response to these concerns and as part of a lay health advisory program being implemented by the Center for Equal Health, a University of South Florida/H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute partnership, our group created a photonovel, an educational tool which explains topics using a graphic novel style. The photonovel was designed to educate community members about prostate cancer and was compared to standard cancer educational materials currently used for cancer outreach. We found that our photonovel served as an effective health education tool to address cancer health disparities in medically underserved and underrepresented populations in Tampa Bay.     

Studying cost, efficacy of cancer care

The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center has formed the Institute for Cancer Outcomes Research and Evaluation, which will study outcomes, cost-effectiveness of prevention and early detection and treatment, pragmatic clinical trial design, and health policy.     

The JICA Training Course,Community-based Cancer Prevention for the Asian Pacific Countries,Fiscal Years 2004 and 2005 (Epidemiological Approach)

Communicable diseases are still major causes of deaths in developing countries. Cancer incidence, however, ‍increased 19% between 1990 and 2000, mainly in this same developing world (Stewart and Kleihaus, 2003), and ‍malignant neoplasms are now the second leading cause of mortality in these countries (WHO, 2003). Limitations of ‍medical facilities and equipment mean that prevention is indispensable for cancer control (Mikheev et al., 1994). ‍However, human resources concerning cancer prevention are limited, and encouragement of their development ‍should be taken as a first priority. To assist in this aim, the present training course was designed by the Division of ‍Epidemiology and Prevention, Aichi Cancer Center Research Institute, Japan, and has been annually conducted ‍since 1999, supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) (Takezaki, 2001; 2002; 2003; Wakai, ‍2004). The course targets doctors and public health workers who are responsible for community-based cancer ‍prevention in developing countries to promote the introduction of comprehensive procedures, focusing mainly on ‍primary prevention but also including screening for secondary prevention of cancer.     

Onkologische Spitzenzentren

With the foundation of the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) in 2004 Heidelberg has taken on a pioneering role. Supported by the German Cancer Aid (Deutsche Krebshilfe) Germany’s first Comprehensive Cancer Center was set up jointly by the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ), Heidelberg University Hospital and the Heidelberg Thorax Clinic. The mission of this new type of organization is to combine optimum interdisciplinary patient care with excellence in translational cancer research. Parallel to the launch of the NCT in Heidelberg the German Cancer Aid has developed its concept for the support of “Oncology Excellence Centers” in order to create consistent structures and quality standards for improved care of cancer patients throughout Germany. The goal is to make sure that every cancer patient in Germany has access to a diagnosis and treatment according to the state of the art in medical knowledge. In addition to the NCT, 10 other Oncology Excellence Centers throughout Germany now receive funding.     

Oral cancer prevention and control--the approach of the World Health Organization

Cancer is one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality today. It is estimated that around 43% of cancer deaths are due to tobacco use, unhealthy diets, alcohol consumption, inactive lifestyles and infection. Low-income and disadvantaged groups are generally more exposed to avoidable risk factors such as environmental carcinogens, alcohol, infectious agents, and tobacco use. These groups also have less access to the health services and health education that would empower them to make decisions to protect and improve their own health. Oro-pharyngeal cancer is significant component of the global burden of cancer. Tobacco and alcohol are regarded as the major risk factors for oral cancer. The population-attributable risks of smoking and alcohol consumption have been estimated to 80% for males, 61% for females, and 74% overall. The evidence that smokeless tobacco causes oral cancer was confirmed recently by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Studies have shown that heavy intake of alcoholic beverages is associated with nutrient deficiency, which appears to contribute independently to oral carcinogenesis. Oral cancer is preventable through risk factors intervention. Prevention of HIV infection will also reduce the incidence of HIV/AIDS-related cancers such as Kaposi sarcoma and lymphoma. The WHO Global Oral Health Programme is committed to work for country capacity building in oral cancer prevention, inter-country exchange of information and experiences from integrated approaches in prevention and health promotion, and the development of global surveillance systems for oral cancer and risk factors. The WHO Global Oral Health Programme has established a global surveillance system of oral cavity cancer in order to assess risk factors and to help the planning of effective national intervention programmes. Epidemiological data on oral cancer (ICD-10: C00-C08) incidence and mortality are stored in the Global Oral Health Data Bank. In 2007, the World Health Assembly (WHA) passed a resolution on oral health for the first time in 25 years, which also considers oral cancer prevention. The resolution WHA60 A16 URGES Member states--To take steps to ensure that prevention of oral cancer is an integral part of national cancer-control programmes, and to involve oral-health professionals or primary health care personnel with relevant training in oral health in detection, early diagnosis and treatment;--The WHO Global Oral Health Programme will use this statement as the lead for its work for oral cancer control www.who.int/oral_health.     

Reducing Cancer Disparities Through Innovative Partnerships: A Collaboration of the South Carolina Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network and Federally Qualified Health Centers

The South Carolina Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network, in partnership with the South Carolina Primary Health Care Association, and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), aims to promote evidence-based cancer interventions in community-based primary care settings. Partnership activities include (1) examining FQHCs' readiness and capacity for conducting research, (2) developing a cancer-focused data sharing network, and (3) integrating a farmers' market within an FQHC. These activities identify unique opportunities for public health and primary care collaborations.     

NCI Summer Curriculum in Cancer Control and Prevention – A Practice Changing Course for Oncologists from Limited Resource Country Like India

Cancer has become an important public health issue in India. Oncologists in India spends most of their time indiagnosis and treatment of cancer patients. There is a large disparity geographically as far as cancer treatment facilitiesare concerned. Cancer control and cancer prevention is not a point of concern for most of the practicing oncologist.Although things are changing in India, but orientation, passion and dedication towards cancer prevention is still missing.There is no program on basic principles and practice of cancer control and prevention in India which addresses theessence of cancer control and prevention. Center for Global Health of National Cancer Institute, USA initiated summercurriculum is an excellent academic program to teach health care professionals working in cancer care in different partsof world. This covers all aspect of cancer care i.e. cancer education, epidemiology, screening, diagnosis, treatmentand the before world palliative care with dedicated session on upcoming molecular prevention in cancer. This givesan unique opportunity for learning and can be practice changing curriculum for many of the attendees who want topursue a career in cancer control and prevention a before practice.     

Cancer prevention health services research: an emerging field

In October 2009, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center hosted a symposium, "Future Directions in Cancer Prevention and Control: Workforce Implications for Training, Practice, and Policy." This article summarizes discussions and an Internet and literature review by the symposium's Health Services Infrastructure Working Group. We agree on the need for the recognition of Cancer Prevention Health Services Research (CP-HSR) as a unified research field. With advances in cancer screening and increased emphasis on preventive services under healthcare reform, there is a growing need for investigators with both cancer prevention and HSR expertise to consider the comparative effectiveness of cancer screening methods, the cost-effectiveness of early detection technologies, and the accessibility of preventive care for individuals at risk of cancer. Defining CP-HSR as a field will provide investigators with credibility and will serve to draw more researchers to the field. Increasing funding to train individuals in CP-HSR will be important to help meet the anticipated demand for investigators with this specialized multidisciplinary expertise.     

Cancer Research and Control Activities in Japan - Contributions to International Efforts

Since the establishment of the Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research in 1908, Japan has experienced along history of physicians and researchers playing very active roles in both national and international effortsfor cancer control. With the opening of the Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research Cancer Institute andHospital in 1934 and the National Cancer Center in 1962, followed by Aichi Cancer Center in 1964 and thengraduallyt Prefectural Centers across the country, the populace is well endowed with specialist research andclinical facilities. Under the Cancer Control Act, implemented in 2007, these are now being complemented by anetwork of specialist hospitals also involved in efforts to improve training and cancer registration as well asstandardization of cancer treatment. Regional cancer registries have been active since the 1960’s and nationalprograms for cervical and stomach cancer screening were introduced in 1984. Subsequently, such early detectionefforts have been added for the lung, colorectal, endometrial and breast cancers. There are a large number ofacademic scientific societies holding regular research meetings and focusing on all the different aspects of cancercontrol. In addition, there are non-government organizations like the Foundation for Promotion of CancerResearch, the Princess Takamatsu Cancer Research Foundation, the Sapporo Cancer Seminar Foundation andthe Hiroshima Cancer Seminar Foundation, all sponsoring international research meetings and other efforts.Other foundations have been established, for example by patient support groups, and policy research and strategicplanning are now high priorities of the Government. Japan also continues to contribute to international effortsthough its membership in the WHO and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), as well asthrough individual memberships in the Intrnational Union Against Cancer (UICC).     

Report from a symposium on health communication to promote healthy lifestyles for the prevention of cancer (United States)

On 25 January 2002, the Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention and the Health Communication Core and Risk Reduction Program of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center co-sponsored a symposium in Boston, MA, on the use of health communication to more effectively promote healthy lifestyles for the prevention of cancer. The purpose of the symposium was to discuss past research developments in this area, and to identify practical steps for improving health communication strategies. Speakers presented some of the successes and considerations in implementating health communication interventions, and were followed by a set of panelists from the media, clinical, research, and public health communities who provided their perspectives. During the latter part of the symposium, symposium participants conceived of potential methods for integrating the areas of health communication research, policy, and practice to promote sustained healthy lifestyles.     

Cancer Prevention Health Services Research: An Emerging Field

In October 2009, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center hosted a symposium, “Future Directions in Cancer Prevention and Control: Workforce Implications for Training, Practice, and Policy.” This article summarizes discussions and an Internet and literature review by the symposium’s Health Services Infrastructure Working Group. We agree on the need for the recognition of Cancer Prevention Health Services Research (CP-HSR) as a unified research field. With advances in cancer screening and increased emphasis on preventive services under healthcare reform, there is a growing need for investigators with both cancer prevention and HSR expertise to consider the comparative effectiveness of cancer screening methods, the cost-effectiveness of early detection technologies, and the accessibility of preventive care for individuals at risk of cancer. Defining CP-HSR as a field will provide investigators with credibility and will serve to draw more researchers to the field. Increasing funding to train individuals in CP-HSR will be important to help meet the anticipated demand for investigators with this specialized multidisciplinary expertise.     

L’Institut national du cancer : un institut dédié au cancer pour garantir une impulsion forte et continue de la lutte contre cette maladie

The French National Cancer Institute (INCa) is the preeminent health and science agency in charge of cancer control. Created under the Public Health Act of 2004, the French National Cancer Institute is an original and unique model among State agencies and at international level; it covers all modes of action to fight against the disease: research, observation and evaluation, prevention and screening, care organization and public information. The Institutes’ work is based on coordinating and integrating all intervention programmes. This coordination is a major mission of INCa and translates in its status of public interest group: it gathers all key stakeholders -charities, public sector, professional, industries- and favours constant exchanges. Along with the integration of all aspects of the fight against cancer, they warrants the expertise and relevance of INCa-driven actions. The inherent liability of an institute dedicated to the most deadly diseases in France is another key element that leads INCa to steer the 2014–2019 Cancer Plan, in close collaboration with the Ministries for Health and Research.     

Cancer statistics for African Americans, 2013

In this article, the American Cancer Society estimates the number of new cancer cases and deaths for African Americans and compiles the most recent data on cancer incidence, mortality, survival, and screening prevalence based upon incidence data from the National Cancer Institute, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries and mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics. It is estimated that 176,620 new cases of cancer and 64,880 deaths will occur among African Americans in 2013. From 2000 to 2009, the overall cancer death rate among males declined faster among African Americans than whites (2.4% vs 1.7% per year), but among females, the rate of decline was similar (1.5% vs 1.4% per year, respectively). The decrease in cancer death rates among African American males was the largest of any racial or ethnic group. The reduction in overall cancer death rates since 1990 in men and 1991 in women translates to the avoidance of nearly 200,000 deaths from cancer among African Americans. Five‐year relative survival is lower for African Americans than whites for most cancers at each stage of diagnosis. The extent to which these disparities reflect unequal access to health care versus other factors remains an active area of research. Overall, progress in reducing cancer death rates has been made, although more can and should be done to accelerate this progress through ensuring equitable access to cancer prevention, early detection, and state‐of‐the‐art treatments. CA Cancer J Clin 2013. © 2013 American Cancer Society.     

Cancer statistics for African Americans, 2016: Progress and opportunities in reducing racial disparities

In this article, the American Cancer Society provides the estimated number of new cancer cases and deaths for blacks in the United States and the most recent data on cancer incidence, mortality, survival, screening, and risk factors for cancer. Incidence data are from the National Cancer Institute, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, and mortality data are from the National Center for Health Statistics. Approximately 189,910 new cases of cancer and 69,410 cancer deaths will occur among blacks in 2016. Although blacks continue to have higher cancer death rates than whites, the disparity has narrowed for all cancers combined in men and women and for lung and prostate cancers in men. In contrast, the racial gap in death rates has widened for breast cancer in women and remained level for colorectal cancer in men. The reduction in overall cancer death rates since the early 1990s translates to the avoidance of more than 300,000 deaths among blacks. In men, incidence rates from 2003 to 2012 decreased for all cancers combined (by 2.0% per year) as well as for the top 3 cancer sites (prostate, lung, and colorectal). In women, overall rates during the corresponding time period remained unchanged, reflecting increasing trends in breast cancer combined with decreasing trends in lung and colorectal cancer rates. Five‐year relative survival is lower for blacks than whites for most cancers at each stage of diagnosis. The extent to which these disparities reflect unequal access to health care versus other factors remains an active area of research. Progress in reducing cancer death rates could be accelerated by ensuring equitable access to prevention, early detection, and high‐quality treatment. CA Cancer J Clin 2016;66:290‐308. © 2016 American Cancer Society     

Why do we need cancer information?

Sophisticated integration of medical information about cancer and other chronic diseases has become increasingly important in diagnosis, treatment, care of patients and clinical research. Cancer control strategy could not be planned without such precise information. Information on cancer prevention is divided into primary, secondary and tertiary levels. The current situation in Japan at each level is reviewed, and effective systems proposed. We need an integrated system for collecting and analyzing information, and for distributing it efficiently to the public, health professionals and health planners, and this can be achieved by building a cancer information center within the National Cancer Center. Some examples of information networks in the U.S.A. set up to achieve the purposes set out above are given, and recent attempts to build a similar network in Japan are introduced. International collaborative work should advance more effectively through such information systems.     

The future of the cancer prevention workforce: why health literacy, advocacy, and stakeholder collaborations matter

In considering the role of the cancer prevention workforce in meeting the nation's future health care needs, it is vital to address the considerable gaps in information, communication, training, professional development, roles, and levels of collaboration among diverse disciplines, stakeholders, and constituencies. As part of an October 2009 symposium at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center entitled "Future Directions in Cancer Prevention and Control: Workforce Implications for Training, Practice, and Policy," the Health Policy and Advocacy Working Group was convened to discuss barriers to closing these gaps. Three major themes emerged from the group's deliberations and are discussed here: (1) the role of critical health literacy and evidence-based collaborations in cancer prevention education, research, and practice; (2) the implications of health advocacy for policy development and clinical and public health practice; and (3) culturally and linguistically appropriate cancer prevention programs and information within advocacy/workforce collaborations. Mechanisms for addressing these gaps are presented.     

The Future of the Cancer Prevention Workforce: Why Health Literacy,Advocacy, and Stakeholder Collaborations Matter

In considering the role of the cancer prevention workforce in meeting the nation’s future health care needs, it is vital to address the considerable gaps in information, communication, training, professional development, roles, and levels of collaboration among diverse disciplines, stakeholders, and constituencies. As part of an October 2009 symposium at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center entitled “Future Directions in Cancer Prevention and Control: Workforce Implications for Training, Practice, and Policy,” the Health Policy and Advocacy Working Group was convened to discuss barriers to closing these gaps. Three major themes emerged from the group’s deliberations and are discussed here: (1) the role of critical health literacy and evidence-based collaborations in cancer prevention education, research, and practice; (2) the implications of health advocacy for policy development and clinical and public health practice; and (3) culturally and linguistically appropriate cancer prevention programs and information within advocacy/workforce collaborations. Mechanisms for addressing these gaps are presented.