Members' corner

Cervivor, Inc

Cervivor, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to cervical cancer advocacy, education, and support. Founded by Tamika Felder, a cervical cancer survivor, this organization is committed to the elimination of cervical cancer. 

Cervivor's mission, as a global community of patient advocates is to inspire and empower those affected by cervical cancer by educating and motivating them to use their voices for creating awareness to end stigma, influence decision and change, and end cervical cancer.

Cervivor, Inc. utilizes a multifaceted approach offering educational resources to promote awareness about cervical cancer, emphasizing prevention through vaccination and screening; a platform for survivors to share their stories, connect, and find emotional support; and ways to engage in a wide range of advocacy efforts in order to make an impact

Manipal Comprehensive Cancer Care Centre, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MCCCC)

The Manipal Comprehensive Cancer Care Centre (MCCCC) is a standalone cancer centre situated within a tertiary teaching hospital named Kasturba Medical College and Kasturba Hospital, Manipal under the university Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) in Udupi District of South India. The cancer services began in the hospital in 1974 leading to the establishment of the Shirdi Sai Baba Cancer Hospital in 1992. In 2018, it was renamed as MCCCC to reflect the comprehensiveness of the growth of the centre. The centre is guided by 4 principles- precise, precision, person-centred and population-based care. 

The centre has 280 inpatient beds and has departments of surgical, medical, radiation, paediatric oncology, palliative medicine, nuclear medicine and community oncology. Annually, the cancer centre sees around 3500- 4000 new cancer patients. There are education programmes namely MD, DM, fellowship and PhD programmes running across the departments. 

The cancer prevention and control activities are carried out by the dedicated Centre for Community Oncology (CCO) which attempts to facilitate affordable cancer care to the community at large. 

Vedanta medical research foundation - BALCO Medical Centre (BMC)

In response to this, Vedanta medical research foundation - BALCO Medical Centre (BMC) was established in 2018 as a state-of-the-art, 170-bedded tertiary care cancer facility in Nawa Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India. The primary objective was to bridge the existing cancer care gap by not only providing medical treatment but also essential support, awareness, and early detection programs.

At BMC, treatment plans are meticulously done through multidisciplinary team discussions among all key departments to ensure each patient receives personalized and comprehensive care irrespective of their socio-economic status. To address the financial toxicity faced by patients, at BMC, support is provided for local stay, food, and diagnostics with close collaboration with liked minded charities across India. The aim is to deliver cancer care closer to home, make it  more accessible and holistic while aiming to reduce patient dropout rates.

Sociedad Mexicana de Oncología

Sociedad Mexicana de Oncología is a non-profit association dedicated to promoting, disseminating scientific advances, and teaching oncology in all its branches at the highest scientific level. The principal aim is to be a medical body committed to research, study, and constant scientific contributions related to cancer, consolidating links with international associations interested in oncology from a human scenario, competent, supportive, and responsible.

They constantly carry out virtual, face-to-face sessions that bring knowledge to the doctors and specialists in oncology, and this visualizes from different scenarios the prevention, detection, and treatment of cancer at national and international levels.

Society of Medical Oncology Pakistan

The Society of Medical Oncology Pakistan (SMOP) stands as a beacon of progress and collaboration in the realm of cancer care and research. Established with a passionate vision to combat the burden of cancer in Pakistan, SMOP unites a diverse community of medical professionals, oncologists, researchers, and caregivers. With an unwavering commitment to excellence, SMOP strives to enhance cancer treatment, prevention, and awareness across the nation.

Since its inception in 2018, SMOP has fostered an environment of knowledge exchange and innovation, enabling its members to stay at the forefront of cutting-edge oncology practices. Through regular conferences, seminars, and workshops, the society encourages multidisciplinary approaches to tackle the intricacies of cancer care.

Moreover, SMOP takes pride in its collaborative efforts with international organisations, leveraging global expertise to elevate cancer care standards in Pakistan. As we continue our journey, we remain steadfast in our dedication to alleviating the burden of cancer and promoting a healthier, brighter future for those affected by this complex disease.

Join INCA in Marking NET Cancer Day 2023 on November 10th With a Wealth of Campaign Resources in 11 Languages

Created by INCA over 10 years ago, NET Cancer Day is held on November 10th to increase awareness of neuroendocrine cancers and to provide a voice to the NET community, asking for improved diagnostics, treatments, information, care and research.

The campaign has grown exponentially since its inception – last year nearly 40 million impressions were made online across social media channels. Our theme this year is Easily missed. Take a closer look at neuroendocrine cancer – because patients worldwide often experience delays in diagnosis and are misdiagnosed.

Why NET Cancer Day Matters?

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are frequently misdiagnosed and early detection is key. 46% of patients have advanced stage neuroendocrine cancer by the time they are correctly diagnosed and for many of these patients, a cure is not possible. NETs are more common than brain, ovarian or cervical cancer and incidence is on the rise. Frequently misdiagnosed with conditions such as: anxiety, menopause, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), asthma or diabetes, a greater awareness of NETs amongst the community and medical profession is needed.

This NET Cancer Day, INCA has prepared a wealth of social media assets and custom posters in 11 languages, as well as campaign videos and a collection of NET patient stories – to invite everyone to join the global NET patient community and spread the word about neuroendocrine cancer.

Find the NET Cancer Day 2023 campaign toolkit and resources here: https://incalliance.org/ncd-2023/

European Parliament report reflects ESMO call to adopt stricter limits on air pollution, aiming to prevent new lung cancer cases in Europe 

In response to the public consultation on the revision of the European Union’s (EU) rules on Ambient Air Quality launched in October 2022, UICC member the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) urged the EU legislators to adopt stricter limits on air pollution, aiming to prevent new lung cancer cases in Europe.

The European Parliament recently published its draft report on the European Commission’s proposal to revise EU legislation on air pollution. Following ESMO’s response to a public consultation and engagement with EU member states, the draft report reflects ESMO’s recommendation to set the annual limit value for fine particulate matter (PM2.5), the main air pollutant, at 5 µg/m³ to prevent cancer cases caused by air pollution.

ESMO will continue engaging with the EU institutions throughout the whole legislative process to secure the inclusion of the aforementioned limit in the final text of this legislation. Read the evidence, first presented at the ESMO Congress in 2022, on the link between air pollution and lung cancer in non-smokers.

ESMO Call for Pandemic Preparedness to Include Secondary and Tertiary Care Acknowledged at UN Political Declaration on Pandemics

ESMO call for global pandemic preparedness to include secondary and tertiary care levels, where cancer patients are predominately treated, is acknowledged at the 2023 UN Political Declaration on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response.

ESMO has consistently called for the inclusion of secondary and tertiary care into international agreements and instruments on pandemics and emergencies, as it is at these levels that cancer patients are predominately treated. Given that an estimated one in five people will develop cancer at some point in their lives, that the frequency and severity of natural disasters and incidence of infectious diseases are anticipated to increase due to climate change, and the uncertainty of cancer care during conflicts and wars, this precision is crucial to not leave millions of patients behind.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges for oncology professionals and patients, underlining that sustainable cancer care services must be integrated into preparedness planning and response to pandemics and public health emergencies. This should include secure adequate, continued and timely access to cancer and palliative care services and medicines and the continuance of existing clinical trials, avoiding competition with resources required for health emergencies, and support for oncology workforce wellbeing.

The Political Declaration also pledges to take into account the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, which stresses the importance of involving people with life threatening and chronic diseases in the design of policies and plans to manage their risks before, during and after disasters, including having access to lifesaving services.

The other victims of Advanced Breast Cancer

ABC Global Alliance's latest campaign, 'The Other Victims of Advanced Breast Cancer,' is an initiative driven by real-life stories from around the world. The campaign aims to spotlight the often-overlooked impact of this disease on partners, children, parents and other loved ones of advanced breast cancer/metastatic breast cancer patients. It emphasizes the profound ripple effect when patients do not receive timely and adequate treatment.

The campaign encourages you to explore the website www.abcglobalalliance.org, where you can discover ways to contribute to positive change.

ABC Global Alliance is a nonprofit organisation, and a multistakeholder platform based in Portugal. It brings together individuals and organizations dedicated to advancing, promoting, and supporting concrete improvements. The collective goal is to raise awareness and drive actions that contribute to enhancing and extending the lives of patients worldwide who are living with ABC/mBC.

HPV Vaccine Integrated Service Implementation Research

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is commissioning a set of implementation research projects to test how integrated adolescent services could increase

HPV vaccine coverage equitably and sustainably, as well as contribute to other adolescent health outcomes. Evidence and insights from this work will inform Gavi decision-making on future HPV vaccination strategy and can inform the work of other Alliance partners, particularly our government partners. The Request for Proposals (RFP) for Implementation Research on Integrated Adolescent Services to Improve HPV Vaccine Coverage is available on Gavi’s website. The closing date for proposals is Monday, December 4, 2023.  

Big gaps in nutrition and physical activity policies in Europe

World Cancer Research Fund International (WCRFI) has developed policy indexes that assess policies to combat youth obesity in 30 European countries.

In Europe, overweight and obesity affect 1 in 5 adolescents. Excess weight in adolescence increases the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cancer, in adulthood.

As part of the EU funded CO-CREATE project on adolescent obesity and using WCRFI NOURISHING (nutrition) and MOVING (physical activity) policy frameworks, the following were developed:

• Nutrition policy index 
• Physical activity policy index 
• Nutrition policy country snapshots
• Physical activity policy country snapshots 

Webinars presenting CO-CREATE findings are also available:

• NOURISHING webinar 
• MOVING webinar 

Key findings include:

• Very few countries have policies to address food affordability e.g. healthy food subsidies, and most have weak policies on advertising unhealthy food
• Nutrition labelling, national nutrition guidelines and promoting healthy eating were common
• Almost all countries promote physical activity in schools and to the public
• Countries had gaps and poorly designed policies on transport and other infrastructure which promote physical activity
• Many countries had poorly designed policies on physical activity counselling in healthcare settings

IARC Learning: Introduction to Research on Pollution and Cancer

Enrol for IARC's new freely accessible self-paced e-learning module on Introduction to Research on Pollution and Cancer:

• What is the current status of research on pollution and cancer?
• What proportion of cancers are due to environmental pollutants, according to the scientific evidence currently available?
• What are the gaps and opportunities for future research?

This 1-hour interactive module is designed for health and environment professionals, entry-level researchers or researchers from other research areas, technical advisers, and policy-makers. It consists of two learning sequences and a quiz. The module provides an overview of what research on pollution and cancer encompasses, the major pending research questions, and future perspectives. 

The module was developed with the support of and in collaboration with the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO).

Access the module here

HPV Small Grants Programme - Cancer Research UK

Cancer Research UK Global team are launching a small grants series seeking to fund 2 to 3 projects internationally with up to GBP 50,000 each to strengthen HPV vaccination coverage in adolescent girls in low- and middle-income countries.  

They are looking for projects which: 

• Introduce, sustain or expand HPV vaccination programmes 
• Explore or form the basis of new research on HPV vaccination implementation  
• Strengthen an organisation’s/organisations’ capability to pursue future work related to HPV vaccination programmes 
• Advance integration of HPV vaccination programmes with other public health interventions 
• Support HPV vaccination programmes to reach girls who are not equitably served by public health interventions

All information can be found in the Request for Proposals here: https://cervicalcanceraction.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/CRUK-HPV-Small-Grants-2024-RFP.pdf

Submit your interest by sending an Expression of Interest meeting our criteria by 15 November 2023 to global@cancer.org.uk. Please ensure you thoroughly review the Request for Proposals before submitting your Expression of Interest. Shortlisted organisations will be informed by 29 November 2023 and request full project proposals before 31 December 2023.  

Findings report of Global Bladder Cancer Patient & Carer Experience Survey

The UICC member the World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition (WBCPC) published the findings report of the very first Global Bladder Cancer Patient & Carer Experience Survey.

The survey collected responses from 1198 people from 45 countries and covered the entire bladder cancer patient experience – from disease awareness, diagnosis, treatment and care, follow-up, life with and after cancer, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Publishing this report is an exciting milestone for us. This multi-year, multi-national research project was done in collaboration with national bladder cancer patient organisations from all around the world. This is a global survey of bladder cancer patients, and not only did it seek to hear from patients but is also, to our knowledge, the first survey to seek input from carers about their experiences supporting a loved one with bladder cancer.” – Lydia Makaroff, President of the World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition.

Drawing from the patient and carer experience findings and what is known from past research, 10 priorities for action are recommended by the WBCPC. These findings and recommendations will guide the work of the community to better respond to the unmet needs of people affected by bladder cancer.

WBCPC calls on patient organisations, professional societies, healthcare system leaders, industry, and other stakeholders to prioritise funding of projects, initiatives, and future work that will directly improve patient and carer experiences in these focus areas.

We invite you to read the Executive Summary or dive into the full Global Bladder Cancer Patient & Carer Experience Survey Report.

Current problems, elements for improvement and future challenges for palliative care in the population with cancer

The Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer (Spanish Association Against Cancer) has recently published a report entitled “Current problems, elements for improvement and future challenges for palliative care in the population with cancer”. The report sets out the qualitative research work carried out between June and July 2022, which aimed at delving into the new problems and challenges of palliative care and end-of-life care in Spain, from a multidisciplinary perspective and with a global, biopsychosocial approach. The full report is available here in Spanish.

Click here to read the executive summary in English (PDF)