From November 14–17, the 2024 Chinese Congress of Holistic Integrative Oncology (CCHIO) and the Asian Oncology Society (AOS 2024) convened in Xi’an. Jointly organized by the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association (CACA), the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN®), the event featured a specialized session on “International Collaboration: CACA-UICC & CACA-NCCN.”
The CACA-NCCN symposium, themed “Cancer Clinical Practice Guidelines: East Meets West,” highlighted methods to enhance global partnerships in delivering high-quality cancer care. Prof. Katy Winckworth-Prejsnar, NCCN Global Program Director, presented a keynote titled “Advancing Evidence-Based Cancer Care through Global Collaboration” and discussed the unique attributes of the NCCN Guidelines and the strategy for international partnerships during an Oncology Frontier interview.
Oncology Frontier:How do NCCN Guidelines® differ from other oncology guidelines, such as ASCO and ESMO Guidelines?
Prof. Katy Winckworth-Prejsnar:Multiple studies published in peer-reviewed journals have consistently demonstrated that adherence to clinical practice guidelines leads to improved patient outcomes. This includes better quality of life, enhanced overall survival, reduced toxicity, and lower treatment costs.
There is significant value in adhering to clinical practice guidelines. Each set of guidelines—NCCN, ASCO, ESMO, and China’s CACA Guidelines—has its unique focus and purpose. They complement each other, serving diverse clinical needs.
Oncology Frontier:How are NCCN Guidelines® utilized in China? How can they better guide clinical cancer treatment practices in the country?
Prof. Katy Winckworth-Prejsnar:China is among the leading users of NCCN Guidelines® outside the United States. It has the highest number of registered users on our website, with 122,000 registrants, and ranks second globally in terms of guideline downloads, with nearly 900,000 downloads in the past year alone.
This high utilization reflects the relevance of NCCN Guidelines® to China’s clinical settings. To facilitate access, we collaborate with Medlive to provide a Chinese-language platform at nccnchina.org.cn. Additionally, all our guidelines are available for free on our official website (NCCN.org) and through our mobile applications.
I encourage oncologists and medical students who have not yet explored the NCCN Guidelines® to visit our platform and leverage this valuable resource.
Oncology Frontier:How can researchers in China contribute to updating NCCN Guidelines®, and how can global collaboration help establish evidence-based cancer care standards?
Prof. Katy Winckworth-Prejsnar:We are proud of our collaboration with the Chinese Gynecologic Cancer Society (CGCS). This partnership helped adapt NCCN Guidelines® for gynecologic malignancies, including cervical, ovarian, and uterine cancers. CGCS experts led this effort, providing invaluable insights to ensure these guidelines reflect cancer care practices in China.
China is conducting a significant volume of high-quality clinical research. Some therapies approved in China are not yet FDA-approved in the United States, demonstrating China’s leadership in specific oncology domains.
We strongly encourage Chinese researchers and clinicians to submit their findings for consideration in NCCN Guidelines® updates. Sharing knowledge through global collaboration elevates cancer care standards worldwide. Importantly, this is a two-way learning process. NCCN has gained tremendously from the expertise and advancements originating from China, and such partnerships continue to drive global progress in oncology.
By fostering collaboration and exchanging knowledge across borders, NCCN and its global partners aim to provide patients with evidence-based, high-quality cancer care tailored to their local contexts. This commitment to collaboration positions the organization as a leader in advancing cancer care worldwide.
