NCCN Models How to Tailor Cancer Care for Different Regions During 2026 World Cancer Congress
National Cancer Control Plans can and should include regionally appropriate guidelines according to abstracts presented by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network during global event hosted by the Union of International Cancer Control.
PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. and HONG KONG, Sept. 24, 2026 /CNW/ -- The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®)--an alliance of leading cancer centers in the United States responsible for reliable, evidence-based, expert consensus-driven guidelines for cancer prevention, screening, treatment, and supportive care--is in Hong Kong to participate in the bi-annual World Cancer Congress.
The World Cancer Congress, organized by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), is held every two years. It is the leading international conference on cancer control, bringing together researchers, clinicians, advocates, policymakers, and people with lived experience from more than 120 countries. Two members of NCCN's Global Policy team--Matt Izzo, MPP, Senior Specialist, Global Policy & Strategic Alliances, and Stephanie Montesino, MPH, Global Policy/Advocacy Fellow--are presenting original research abstracts as part of the three-day event.
NCCN also has an informational booth during the World Cancer Congress where attendees can learn more about NCCN programs and pick up free patient resources. To view more NCCN patient resources, visit NCCN.org/patients.
"The World Cancer Congress offers a unique opportunity to engage with key decision-makers worldwide regarding cancer care and policy," said Crystal S. Denlinger, MD, Chief Executive Officer, NCCN. "Everyone should have access to the best possible cancer prevention and treatment, regardless of where they are located. We are proud to be able share what NCCN and in-country collaborators are doing to improve cancer outcomes around the globe and to work with others to keep building on that success."
National Cancer Control Plans (NCCPs)
The first abstract from NCCN is titled "The Inclusion of Clinical Practice Guidelines in National Cancer Control Plans." NCCP's are government-led public health initiatives that include clearly defined processes for cancer prevention, screening, and treatment. According to the findings, 61% of active NCCPs include references to existing national or international cancer treatment guidelines, with another 19% including strategies for their development. While the vast majority (86%) feature plans for implementing the use of guidelines more broadly, most overlook systems for measuring implementation to ensure equity and quality. The research also found significant room for growth when it comes to incorporating guidance on disease staging which is critical to identify trends and design interventions.
Tailoring Guidelines for Regional Realities
The second abstract, "Enhancing Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Care in China Through Adapted Clinical Guidelines" was authored jointly with doctors Jun Ma, MD, and Ying Sun, MD, who are both Chief Physicians and Radiation Oncologists at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center in Guangzhou, China. This abstract explains how NCCN worked with local experts in China to create the Chinese Editorial Committee (CEC), which then adapted the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) for Head and Neck Cancers into the NCCN Guidelines for China: Head and Neck Cancers (Cancer of the Nasopharynx). By tailoring recommendations to regional clinical practice and resource availability, the guidelines provide a practical, context-specific framework to elevate the management of nasopharyngeal cancers across diverse clinical settings in China.
"The NCCN Guidelines are the gold standard; they have been shown to improve the quality, effectiveness, equitability and accessibility of cancer care around the world," said Dr. Ma. "Nasopharyngeal cancer is substantially more common in China than in the United States, reflecting a combination of EBV-related, genetic, and environmental factors. This higher disease burden has also led to extensive local clinical experience and some differences in practice. Our local experts were able to suggest several adaptations to the original guidelines, based on clinical data in China, including the addition of medications available in China, plus expanding some systemic and radiation therapy recommendations. The resulting guidelines are based on NCCN's time-tested methods, optimized for people in China."
Nearly half of all registered users of the NCCN Guidelines are international professionals, with most located in China, India, South Korea, Brazil, Mexico, Japan, Thailand, Canada, Spain, and Italy. There are more than 90 international adaptations of the NCCN Guidelines and more than 180 different translations across numerous languages.
All of NCCN's global cancer resources are available for free at NCCN.org or via the Virtual Library of NCCN Guidelines App. Visit NCCN.org/global to learn more.
About the National Comprehensive Cancer Network
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) is a not-for-profit alliance of leading cancer centers devoted to patient care, research, and education. NCCN is dedicated to defining and advancing quality, effective, equitable, and accessible cancer care and prevention so all people can live better lives. The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) provide transparent, evidence-based, expert consensus-driven recommendations for cancer treatment, prevention, and supportive services; they are the recognized standard for clinical direction and policy in cancer management and the most thorough and frequently-updated clinical practice guidelines available in any area of medicine. The NCCN Guidelines for Patients® provide expert cancer treatment information to inform and empower patients and caregivers, through support from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Foundation (NCCNF). NCCN also advances continuing education, global initiatives, policy, and research collaboration and publication in oncology. Visit NCCN.org for more information.
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SOURCE National Comprehensive Cancer Network
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