The US President's Cancer Panel: A Model For Gathering Country-Level Input to Inform Cancer Control Policy and Program Initiatives

PURPOSEThe President's Cancer Panel (Panel) is a federal advisory committee charged with monitoring the US National Cancer Program and reporting directly to the US President. Since its creation a half century ago, the Panel has gathered input from individuals and organizations across the US cancer community and beyond and recommended actions to accelerate progress against cancer. The Panel is unique in its structure and function, and merits examination for its potential applicability in other settings worldwide.METHODSWe present an overview of the general President's Cancer Panel model and describe the noteworthy and unique characteristics of the Panel that help achieve its charge. We also detail the specific processes, outputs, and achievements of the Panel appointed by President Barack Obama, which served between 2012 and 2018.RESULTSFrom 2012 to 2018, the Panel focused on three topics that addressed timely issues in cancer prevention and control: (1) HPV vaccination for cancer prevention, (2) connected health and cancer, and (3) value and affordability of cancer drug treatment. The Panel held 11 meetings with 165 participants who provided diverse perspectives on these issues. Four reports were delivered to the president, which were cited about 270 times in the literature. Over 20 collaborator activities, including commitments of funding, can be linked to the recommendations published in these reports.CONCLUSIONThe US President's Cancer Panel highlights the importance of independent advisory bodies within a national cancer control program and of national leadership support for the cancer community. The structure and function of the Panel could be applicable in other settings worldwide

An analysis of survivorship care strategies in national cancer control plans in Africa

PURPOSE: In 2017, the World Health Organization urged member states to develop and implement national cancer control plans (NCCPs) and to anticipate and promote cancer survivor follow-up care, which is a critical yet often overlooked component of NCCPs. This study aims to examine the inclusion of cancer survivorship-related strategies and objectives in NCCPs of African countries. METHODS: Independent reviewers extracted strategies, objectives, and associated indicators related to survivorship care from 21 current or recently expired NCCPs in African countries. Building on a similar analysis of the US state cancer control plans, reviewers categorized these strategies according to an adapted version of the ten recommendations for comprehensive survivorship care detailed in the 2006 National Academy of Medicine report. RESULTS: A total of 202 survivorship-related strategies were identified, with all NCCPs including between 1 and 23 references to survivorship. Eighty-three (41%) strategies were linked to measurable indicators, and 128 (63%) of the survivorship-related strategies were explicitly focused on palliative care. The most frequent domains referenced were models of coordinated care (65 strategies), healthcare professional capacity (45), and developing and utilizing evidence-based guidelines (23). The least-referenced domains were survivorship care plans (4) and adequate and affordable health insurance (0). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that survivorship objectives and strategies should extend beyond palliative care to encompass all aspects of survivorship and should include indicators to measure progress. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Stakeholders can use this baseline analysis to identify and address gaps in survivorship care at the national policy level