National cancer control plans in ANCCA member countries: advancing a pan-Asian cancer initiative

Abstract

Asia, home to nearly 60% of the world's population, bears a substantial portion of the global cancer burden, making effective control strategies crucial. The 2017 WHO resolution on cancer prevention and control highlighted the importance of developing and implementing National Cancer Control Plans (NCCPs). We reviewed the current landscape of NCCPs in 21 countries of the Asian National Cancer Centers Alliance. We found marked variation in plan status across Asia, with frameworks ranging from comprehensive NCCPs to non-communicable disease plans that include cancer to no plans. Over 90% of plans included components for primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention or cancer treatment. Air pollution, a critical and growing cancer risk factor in the region, was addressed in only 43% of plans, with most concentrated in middle-income countries. Treatment protocols were included in 91% of plans, but end-of-life care appeared in only 48%. Stakeholder involvement appeared in 86% of plans, but legal and evaluation mechanisms were less common (57% each). Locally adapted, comprehensive strategies addressing the continuum of care, from prevention to survivorship, supported by strong legal and financial governance structures and enhanced regional collaboration are essential for equitable cancer control.