National cancer plans and primary care a systematic analysis comparing Latin American and non-Latin American countries

A new study titled National cancer plans and primary care a systematic analysis comparing Latin American and non-Latin American countries drawing on the repository of National Cancer Control Plans (NCCPs) available through the ICCP Portal has been published, offering the first systematic comparison of how primary care is integrated into cancer control strategies across countries. Using a qualitative document analysis framework (the READ model), researchers examined eight NCCPs: four from high-income countries (Australia, Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom) and four from Latin American middle-income countries (Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and Mexico). The study benchmarked each plan against a set of evidence-based key performance indicators to assess the inclusion of primary care across the cancer care continuum. Findings reveal notable differences between regions: Latin American plans generally included primary care more extensively, particularly in prevention and palliative care, while high-income countries showed stronger emphasis on health promotion but less integration in primary and palliative care. The authors call for stronger primary care engagement in all NCCPs to improve prevention, survivorship, and end-of-life care, emphasizing that a more consistent, evidence-based approach is needed to make cancer control efforts more effective and equitable worldwide.