The potential of the National Decade Against Cancer has not yet been exhausted
30.09.2022 10:00
Better collaboration between research and care, more comprehensive data analysis and prevention, intensive advice to politicians and taking patients' wishes into account in even more places: The political discussion event "Focus Oncology" organized by the German Cancer Society showed not only successes but also the challenges for the "National Decade Against Cancer”.
On February 4, 2019, on World Cancer Day, the National Decade was declared in order to prevent as many new cases of cancer as possible, improve prevention and early detection, ensure that research results reach the patient's bedside more quickly and improve the quality of life of cancer patients. To achieve this, 16 actors from medicine, research, society, business and politics have come together. Since 2019, 58 organizations have also joined the National Decade Against Cancer as supporters. At the “Focus on Oncology” the results so far and the still unused potential of the “decade” were discussed.
In particular, the better networking of the many players in the healthcare system and research funding were cited as successes over the past four years. For example, the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) is being expanded to include up to four new locations and several funding guidelines have been issued. “In the end, the 'Decade' is a collaboration between science and politics, which can only work together. Politics needs advice. In order to make fundamental progress, we also need changes to the law. The decade should provide a space to focus on and advance the concerns of patients and care beyond parliamentary groups and departments,” said Dr. Johannes Bruns, Secretary General of the German Cancer Society eV “A decade has come to an end. In the long term, this should result in a permanent 'National Network Against Cancer' so that there is no time limit and the courage to move forward and develop something together.”
The NCTs are part of the network of Oncology Centers of Excellence (CCC). In the area of research, the networking there is very good. The transition from research to the area of care is more difficult, as became clear again and again at the “Brennpunkt”. “Both the transfer of findings from clinical research into care and the use of data from care for research are not yet working as well as we would like,” said Prof. Dr. Olaf Ortmann, Member of the strategy group of the National Decade against Cancer and member of the board of the German Cancer Society eV “Some of the hurdles we face are the lack of IT structures, the lack of interoperable data systems and data protection laws. Instead of protecting patients, data protection sometimes prevents them from getting the best care.” Johannes Bruns also called for structured, Germany-wide data analysis in order to better analyze the course of the disease based on evidence.
One point of criticism that emerged during the discussion is the “lack of consideration” of relevant disciplines. “Psycho-oncology doesn't appear enough in the 'Decade',” said PD Dr. rer. nat. Ute Goerling, coordinator of psycho-oncology, Charité – University Medicine Berlin. “Psycho-oncological care plays a role throughout the entire treatment path – from early detection, where genetic testing can be a burden for patients, to therapy and aftercare. But this is not reflected in the activities of the decade.”
Prof. Michael Ghadimi, Director of the Clinic for General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery at the University Medical Center Göttingen and President of the German Cancer Congress 2022, sees it similarly - but with a view to surgery: “Surgical oncology is one of the central specialties of oncological therapy. It therefore offers an ideal starting point for the National Decade Against Cancer to advance oncological research and allow as many cancer patients as possible to benefit from its findings. The aspects of oncological surgery must be heard more widely by decision-makers in the future.”
Overall, the event showed that despite all the challenges there is a great willingness to work together constructively.