New guide to improve cancer control published in EU

A new guide aiming to save money, time and lives in the fight against cancer has been published by CanCon, the EU co-funded initiative to improve cancer control in Europe.

Created by a panel of global oncology experts from 126 partner organisations, the online guide - European Guide on Quality Improvement in Comprehensive Cancer Control - gives recommendations for cancer care professionals and decision-makers throughout Europe in providing better treatment for patients.

It focuses on the need for greater access to care and early diagnosis as well as attention to rehabilitation and survivorship as the number of people being diagnosed and those overcoming the disease grows.

Tit Albreht, coordinator of CanCon, said: “The quality improvement of cancer care is at the heart of the CanCon Guide.

“It will be reached by focusing on the patient's experience, care and health services organisation, delivery and accessibility.”

The guide includes a detailed survivorship care plan, proposals for integrated and community-level care, and evidence-based recommendations for cancer screening programmes.

A series of policy papers have also been published alongside the CanCon guide, covering oncology genomics, European objectives for cancer control, healthcare interventions, an impact evaluation system for prevention outcomes, and the financing of EU cancer control.

The initiative began in 2014 and will culminate on 23 February this year after the guide's presentation and discussion by European health ministers at a conference hosted in Malta this week.

Albreht added: “The implementation of these recommendations is the next step. We do not want the guide to be just another book on the shelf.”