This is a call to oncologists for action

Abstract

Cancer cases are growing in an exponential way, likewise the prices of new cancer drugs. Continuing in this way, in the near future, it will be impossible to provide optimum care for all cancer patients. Therefore, it is important to establish mechanisms that enable the National Health Systems to provide the best options of treatment, either through the elaboration of decision-binding frameworks or through other initiatives that guarantee the best quality care for all oncology patients to overcome, in the best possible way, this difficult illness. Here, we review current proposals that have been established by different cancer organizations worldwide, their similarities, their differences and whether they are helpful in a real clinical setting. Facing present reality and despite these organizations' huge efforts, these proposals are not being implemented at all and it does not seem feasible that they will in the short run. In the same way, we support and argue why oncologists should have a crucial and a preponderant role to establish the best way of guaranteeing an equal access to the latest oncology care.

Keywords: ASCO score; CanCon Project; Cancer costs; Cancer value; Drug Abacus; ESMO score; Evidence blocks; Frameworks tools; Health costs; Health economics; OncoSim; Oncologists.