RT Essential Standards
integrating radiotherapy in cancer plans
To avoid preventable cancer-related deaths, a national cancer plan is a critical component to a country’s healthcare system. It is imperative they reduce incidence, lower mortality rates and improve the quality of life of patients. Despite 50-60% of cancer patients receiving radiotherapy during their course of treatment, radiotherapy is often neglected when cancer plans are developed. Additionally, technology in radiotherapy has rapidly evolved in the past 10 years making many cancer plans outdated.
To support global advocacy efforts aimed at improving cancer outcomes, the GCR is facilitating a discussion to create a framework of key components that should be considered when developing or updating a national cancer plan. These components will be published in collaboration with Global Health Dynamics, Cancer Control series, as an accessible reference document to help integrate radiotherapy efficiently to facilities and global National Cancer Control Plans.
Review our 5 key components and submit your feedback and additional contributions. These are LIVING DOCUMENTS and we welcome your expertise.
Chair of the GCR
Radiotherapy Essential Standards
Katie Wakeham is an NHS Clinical Oncology Consultant at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, UK. She co-authored the 10-year radiotherapy vision for Radiotherapy UK, launched at the House of Commons in 2024. She mentors NHS trainees at the Uganda Cancer Institute, and co-convenes London Global Cancer Week. She previously worked in Uganda and led radiotherapy projects for the International Atomic Energy Agency.
watch now
Watch the on-demand recording of the London Global Cancer Week Event: How to integrate radiotherapy in national cancer plans.
Project Timeline
The GCR has hosted a series of webinars to develop the framework:
18 April 2023
Organized to create a framework of key components for developing or updating a national cancer plan while focusing on listing issues to be addressed in the framework, examining existing guides for radiotherapy planning, and began developing the high level framework.
13 June 2023
Examined five key components that should be considered when either developing or updating a national cancer plan, with presentations made by a team of expert panelists. Defined working groups to focus on "the essentials" for each of the five key components.
12 September 2023 and 26 September 2023
Working groups presented their findings in the research process for reaction from the broader group while discussing future strategies and components that need to be developed like AI and advance technology planning, understanding global health systems, interacting with ministries of health and governments.
Phase IV London Global Cancer Week
14 November 2023
GCR co-hosted an event at London Global Cancer Week with panelists and keynote speakers from our contributing community, discussing "how to integrate radiotherapy in cancer control plans". There is an open call to the global radiotherapy community to review the working group documents and submit feedback.
Phase V: Living Documents Feedback
November 2023 to November 2024
GCR shared the living documents for each key component, requesting feedback and any additional contributions to the documents. All suggestions were reviewed by the group, and additional information is being considered in the key components documents.
October 2024, TBD 2025
GCR, in collaboration with Lisa Stevens from the IAEA released “Essential Standards for implementing Quality Radiotherapy Globally” in Cancer Control 2024, published by Global Health Dynamics. They will also be publishing “The Cancer Control Radiotherapy Supplement” in 2025.
Resources
Partners
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Would you like to contribute resources or suggestions to this RT Essential Standards in Cancer Plans resource? Email us at: