CA21152 - Implementation Network Europe for Cancer Survivorship Care (INE-CSC)

Almost one in three individuals will develop cancer during their lifetime with almost 20 million European citizens having survived cancer. After completion of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or immunotherapy many cancer survivors experience ongoing physical, cognitive, and emotional issues and have continuing need for support and care.  It is widely acknowledged across Europe that the current model of hospital based oncology care has inadequate capacity and limited time to provide follow-up that meets endorsed survivorship practice guidelines and is no longer adequate to address the chronic and complex survivorship needs of individuals and their families.

The EU’s Cancer Mission “aims to improve access to quality of life and survivorship support in all Member States”.

The main aim of this COST Action is to systematically support the sustained translation of evidence-based interventions into routine clinical practice as part of a cross boundary, systems level cancer survivorship pathway which ultimately enhances the health and wellbeing of cancer survivors.

This Network will use a cross-national comparative approach to map and make preliminary models outlining the contextual factors impacting on the: implementation of cancer survivorship care and associated risk-stratified pathways of survivorship care, and use of digital/electronic health solutions. This will be completed using an implementation science lens.

Key outputs of this COST Action include: a sustainable web-based platform which hosts an integrated implementation science theory-based framework and toolkit to support the multi-level implementation of evidence-based cancer survivorship care across Europe. Through this Network the capacity and capability for cancer survivorship research and practice will be enhanced.