BREATHING IN A NEW ERA

A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF LUNG CANCER POLICIES ACROSS EUROPE

Lung cancer is a strategic priority

T

he strategic priority domain covers national cancer control plans and the use of guidelines.

Although guidelines are arguably operational documents, we included them here, as they can also

be “agenda-setting” when it comes to incorporating new technologies for diagnosis and treatment.

Poland and Sweden performed to a high standard; France, Norway and the UK performed moderately

well. Belgium performed relatively poorly.

National Cancer Control Plans are the basis of co-

ordinated action

A National Cancer Control Plan is a document produced by a government or health ministry. It sets out

a nation’s strategies for addressing the burden of cancer through the prioritisation and co-ordination of

programmes—including awareness, prevention, early detection and treatment. High-quality National

Cancer Control Plans are regularly updated, realistic and goal-oriented, with a detailed implementation

plan, and an appropriate, sufficient and clearly identified source of funding.

National Cancer Control Plans exist in ten of our eleven countries. Romania does not currently have

a plan, although one is in production. Of the ten countries with a plan, five have been updated within

the past five years. Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain have out of date plans—

although Spain has developed a revised plan that has not yet been endorsed by the government. Even

in countries with plans, we noted that participants were often unsatisfied with progress. For example,

although the Swedish national plan was updated in 2018, participants suggested that better regional

collaboration on the ground was needed to—for example—improve access to care for lung cancer

patients. In Norway, the updated plan did not identify a source of funding, and participants questioned

its usefulness.

Alongside a national cancer control plan, a specific lung cancer control plan can add nuance

and detail to lung cancer needs. Such a plan also helps to demonstrate a country ’s commitment to

addressing the disease. Of the included countries, only Poland has a lung cancer specific plan.

Clinical guidelines (remain) varied in both quality and

scope

Clinical guidelines are generally produced by medical societies to guide the treatment of a disease and

formalise standards of care. When they are developed at a national level they can help to minimise

Austria Belgium Finland France Netherlands Norway Poland Romania Spain Sweden UK

Lung cancer

is a strategic

priority

Low Moderately Low Moderate Moderately High High