New Study Highlights the Role of Implementation Science in Strengthening Cancer Control Plans

A new international study "Application of implementation science methods and theories for cancer control planning in low-income and middle-income countries: a scoping review" has revealed that implementation science can significantly improve national cancer control planning, especially in resource-constrained settings. Using the ICCP portal library the researchers reviewed cancer strategies from 33 low- and medium-income countries and found that while many plans included implementation science elements, such as stakeholder engagement and impact assessment, these were often inconsistently applied. Crucially, none of the plans assessed health system capacity, and stakeholder involvement was frequently unstructured. The study proposes a pathway to better integrate implementation science principles, aiming to support more equitable, feasible, and evidence-based cancer control policies worldwide. The findings underscore potential of implementation science to enhance planning effectiveness and policy outcomes.