An Asian Body to Tackle Cancers in Asia – The Asian National Cancer Centers Alliance

Gatellier, Laureline; Matsuda, Tomohiro; Sabapathy, Kanaga; Dai, Min; Dewi, Luh Komang Mela; Huong, Tran Thanh; Kardinah, Kardinah; Thuan, Tran Van; Park, Jong Bae; He, Jie; Nansalmaa, Erdenekhuu; Luvsandorj, Bayarsaikhan; Hwang, William Ying Khee; Sengar, Manju; Pramesh, CS; Suzuki, Tatsuya

doi:10.31557/APJCP.2020.21.5.1207

An Asian Body to Tackle Cancers in Asia – The Asian National Cancer Centers Alliance

Document Type : Research Articles

Authors

¹ National Cancer Center, Japan, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan.

² National Cancer Centre Singapore, 11, Hospital Crescent, Singapore.

³ National Cancer Center, China, 17 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100021, China.

⁴ Dharmais Hospital - National Cancer Center, Jalan Letjend S. Parman No.84-89 Kecamatan Palmerah, Kota Jakarta Barat, DKI Jakarta, 11420, Indonesia.

⁵ National Cancer Institute & Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam.

⁶ National Cancer Center of Korea, 323 Ilsan-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang-si Gyeonggi-do, 10408, Republic of Korea.

⁷ National Cancer Center of Mongolia, Nam Yan Ju Street, 13370 Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

⁸ Tata Memorial Hospital, Dr. E, Dr Ernest Borges Rd, Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400012, India.

10.31557/APJCP.2020.21.5.1207

Abstract

The socioeconomic burden of cancer is growing rapidly in the Asian region, with a concentrated burden on low- and middle- income countries. The residents of this region, representing almost 60% of the global population, demonstrate an eclectic and complex nature, with huge disparities in ethnicity, sociocultural practices among others. The Asian National Cancer Centers Alliance (ANCCA) was established in 2005 by heads of several national cancer centers (NCCs) in the region to address common issues and concerns among Asian countries. During the first 13 years of ANCCA’s existence, the participating NCCs’ senior managers paved the way toward collaboration through transparent sharing of key facts and activities. Concrete achievements of the Alliance include the Asia Tobacco-Free Declaration, the establishment of the ANCCA Constitution in 2014 as well as the creation of an official website more recently. In November 2019, the most active ANCCA members (China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) strengthened the bonds of the entity with the clear aim to halt the increase in cancer and mortality rates in Asian countries by 2030. New opportunities including accelerated cooperation between members as well as collaboration with external and multidisciplinary stakeholders at local, regional and international levels are an essential step to most effectively tackle cancers in Asia.

Keywords