Global Oncology: Access, Equity, and Disparities in Cancer Care
Session Overview
Global oncology confronts the stark reality that a patient’s likelihood of surviving cancer is profoundly shaped by their geography, economics, and the resilience of their local health system. While breakthroughs in cancer science proliferate, equitable access to prevention, early detection, treatment, and palliative care remains a critical unmet need worldwide. This session brings together epidemiologists, health services researchers, policymakers, and frontline clinicians to dissect the drivers of disparity and evaluate evidence-based strategies for strengthening cancer care delivery in resource-constrained settings.
Why This Session Matters Now
The global cancer burden is rapidly shifting, with a growing proportion of cases and deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where health systems are least prepared. This inequity is exacerbated by barriers to essential medicines, radiotherapy, pathology services, and trained personnel. This session addresses the urgent imperative to translate the knowledge of “what works” in high-income settings into sustainable, context-appropriate models of care that can close the survival gap and achieve meaningful progress toward global cancer control targets.
Key Scientific and Clinical Themes
Global Burden of Cancer and Epidemiological Transitions
Analysis of shifting incidence and mortality patterns, the impact of aging and lifestyle factors, and the data infrastructure (e.g., cancer registries) required to inform national cancer control planning.
Disparities in Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Access
Examination of the structural, financial, and social barriers that delay diagnosis and limit treatment completion across different populations, both within and between countries.
Oncology Care Delivery in Low- and Middle-Income Settings
Focus on innovative, scalable models for delivering core cancer services—such as adapted treatment protocols, task-shifting, and hub-and-spoke networks—that maximize outcomes within existing resource constraints.
Health Systems Strengthening and Capacity Building
Discussion of integrated strategies to develop the cancer care workforce, ensure supply chains for essential medicines and technologies, and build sustainable financing mechanisms within universal health coverage frameworks.
Policy, Economics, and Global Cancer Control Strategies
Critical appraisal of national cancer control plans, pricing and procurement policies for cancer medicines, and the role of international frameworks (e.g., WHO Global Breast Cancer Initiative) in catalyzing action and accountability.
International Collaboration and Technology Transfer
Exploration of ethical and effective partnerships for training, research, and adapting technologies (e.g., telehealth, low-cost diagnostics) to support capacity building and mutual learning.
Nature of Research in This Field
Research in global oncology is inherently applied and interdisciplinary, blending epidemiology, health economics, implementation science, and political analysis. The literature is dominated by large-scale syntheses of burden data and systematic reviews of health systems interventions. A growing and vital component is pragmatic clinical trials and implementation research conducted in LMIC settings to test the real-world effectiveness of service delivery innovations. The field emphasizes contextually grounded, participatory research methods.
Who Should Attend
This session is designed for:
- Global health researchers, epidemiologists, and health policy experts
- Medical oncologists, surgeons, and radiation oncologists working in or with LMICs
- Public health professionals and NGO leaders implementing cancer programs
- Health economists and policymakers involved in cancer planning and financing
- Advocates and community organizers focused on health equity and access to medicines
Session Perspective
Equity in cancer care is not a charitable endeavor; it is a fundamental requirement for justice and a test of our collective commitment to the right to health. This session provides a platform to move from documenting disparities to implementing solutions. By connecting rigorous analysis of health systems with the practical realities of frontline delivery, the discussion aims to advance actionable, collaborative, and resilient approaches that ensure the fruits of cancer science reach all people, everywhere.
If your research aligns with this session, we invite you to submit an abstract for consideration.
