A new study led by Queen’s University Belfast has revealed that Ireland tops the global league table for its robust and effective National Cancer Control Plan (NCCP).
It found that Ireland ranks first overall due to a combination of its critical emphasis on strong governance, allocated budgets, clearly assigned responsibilities, monitoring of progress, and its strong policy focus on targeted, actionable objectives.
The study has been published in the Journal of Cancer Policy.
A National Cancer Control Plan (NCCP) is a government’s strategic, public health roadmap to reduce cancer’s impact by co-ordinating prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, and palliative care, tailored to a country’s specific cancer burden, resources, and health system needs.
Prof Mark Lawler, Lead Author of the study and Professor of Digital Health at Queen’s University Belfast, explains: “Cancer is one of the most serious threats across the globe and it is estimated to kill approximately 17 million people annually by 2030.
“A strong National Cancer Control Plan, tailored specifically for each country, is essential for preventing cancer, addressing treatment needs and improving the wellbeing of those affected by this killer disease.”
Working with colleagues in Belgium, Romania and the US, the Queen’s team reviewed each individual NCCP for 20 countries worldwide and ranked each one in terms of the full continuum of cancer care — including prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, palliative care, and research.
From a country perspective, France, Ireland and Japan scored the highest in terms of detailed objectives, allocated budgets, clearly assigned responsibilities, and monitoring reports. Austria, Brazil, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Sweden and Turkey were found to be the lowest.
NCCPs that contained targeted, actionable objectives were found to be higher in Belgium and Ireland and lower in Germany, Mexico, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the United States of America.
The study showed that whilst most plans address reducing risk factors for cancer (80 per cent), less than half focused on increasing people’s awareness of it (40 per cent). The researchers also found that only one-quarter of NCCPs specifically include an implementation budget.
Treatment access is also underprioritised for most of the 20 countries, with only 10-to-15 per cent of plans including early access targets. Advanced diagnostics are also largely ignored, only being included in 25 per cent of plans.
To enhance the effectiveness of NCCPs, the researchers have created a Seven-Point Plan with clear and timely actions on cancer targets, equity, funding, research, data, collaboration and innovation.
Prof Lawler continues: “These data do not lie. That only 25 per cent of cancer plans have an implementation plan is a damning statistic. Treatment is also a wake-up call – that over 85 per cent of plans do not have early access treatment targets is shocking.
“This is a clear warning that we must act upon. It is critical that those who produce cancer plans nationally heed our Seven-Point Plan and act upon it. A rising tide lifts all our boats — robust policy and implementation globally lifts all our cancer outcomes.”
Professor Dégi László Csabaon, Co Author on the study from the Faculty of Sociology and Social Work, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca Romania, said: “It is critical that policy makers heed the messages of this paper – the need to deliver action. National Cancer Control Plans with no implementation strategy simply sit on the shelf gathering dust.”
