Focused Workshops

Participants in INCTR’s first focused workshop held in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania

The purpose of focused workshops is to identify obstacles to effective cancer control - and potential solutions - in selected thematic areas of relevance to specific countries or regions. Each workshop has plenary and focused group sessions with local and external experts. Outside experts often visit local institutions, organizations or departments relevant to their specialty, to observe at first-hand the available resources. Focused workshops are associated with specific outputs, such as plans to overcome identified obstacles or to establish educational programs for health workers, or the production of manuals specifically designed for the country or region. Workshop reports may be a valuable aid to the national cancer control committee in developing national priorities and action plans.

The first focused workshop was held in Tanzania in August, 2007. A report of the workshop entitled, "Cancer Control in East Africa" was published in Vol 7, No 3, Special Issue of Network (http://www.inctr.org/publications/2007_v03_n01_sa02.shtml). Support for the workshop was provided by IAEA and by the Office of International Affairs, NCI.

The second focused workshop on breast cancer in the Eastern Mediterranean Region will be held in December, 2008 in Cairo, Egypt.

Building the Evidence Database for Cancer Control in Developing Countries

This program is designed to create a data base of all published materials on the control of specific cancers within developing countries and then to train scientists and health providers to review the available evidence in a systematic fashion in order to both assess its quality and to answer questions of importance to effective national or regional cancer control. This program is designed to emphasize the importance of local research in controlling cancer, to assess the quantity and quality of existing information, and to help create a research ethos. It will also help to identify gaps in existing research results, and thus assist investigators and funding bodies to decide upon research priorities. Systematic reviews will be made widely available.

A pilot study is being jointly undertaken by INCTR, The European School of Oncology and the National Cancer Institute, Cairo, Egypt. This pilot study entails conducting a search of the Journal of the Egyptian National Cancer Institute and the Yearbooks of the National Cancer Institute, Cairo for published reports of original research in breast cancer, bladder cancer, lymphoma, pediatric cancer and palliative care conducted in Egypt in the years 2000-2007. The results have been compared with electronic searches of four databases (Medline, Embase, Scopus and PsycLit). A report on the pilot study was published in Vol 7, No 4, Winter 2007-2008 of Network.

Building Infrastructure for Clinical Research

INCTR will be expanding its training tools for clinical research and developing a program of accreditation of institutions and individuals in clinical research management. This program is intended for all members of the research team - from investigators to data managers. This will benefit on-going INCTR clinical research projects and it is also anticipated that this will enhance the infrastructure within institutions to enable them to conduct more investigator-initiated research and to link together with other institutions as cooperative groups to study optimal approaches to patient carer in their own national context.

Developing Human Resources Via Partnerships Programs

The partnership program will complement the on-going INCTR Visiting Expert Program through matching western institutions with one or more institutions in developing countries for the purpose of developing long-term relationships involving multiple expert visits (mostly to the developing country) designed to address identified needs. Such partnerships will include a variety of health professionals, including oncologists, nurses, pharmacists, radiologists, pathologists and even administrators and will encompass mutually conducted research projects when possible.

Community Health Centers

Primary health care providers have a critical role in cancer control because they are usually the first health professionals to see cancer patients and must be trained to suspect cancer in appropriate circumstances and to ensure that the patient undergoes diagnostic tests and receives necessary treatment. Community based health centers can undertake screening of particular cancers, provide home-based palliative care and play a major role in public education. Community health centers will also be in a good position to work with NGOs that can help create public awareness, provide counsel for suspected or actual cancer patients and help raise funds necessary to sustain programs.

The Nepalese Network for Cancer Treatment and Research - INCTR's Branch in Nepal is building such a center in the Kathmandu Valley.