National Comprehensive Cancer Network

National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) is an alliance of twenty-one cancer centers in the United States, most of which are designated by the National Cancer Institute (one of the U.S. National Institutes of Health) as comprehensive cancer centers. It is a non-profit organization with offices in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania.

Mission and main activities

The mission of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) is "to improve care, with respect to cancer screening, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up." The main activity of the organization is the development and publication of practice guidelines for oncology care. These guidelines are developed by oncologists at the member cancer centers based on research evidence from clinical trials and other studies. NCCN also develops guidelines for patients. According to the organization, the goal of developing these guidelines "is to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of oncology care." On April 1, 2009 the organization launched a consumer website with their cancer treatment summaries.

Publications

• The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology are a set of practice guidelines for oncology developed by expert panels of oncologists. The guidelines published by NCCN cover 97% of cancers and are updated on a continual basis. The NCCN oncology guidelines are the most widely used guidelines in oncology practice and are used in over 115 countries. Information in each guideline is based on a review of scientific evidence from oncology trials and studies pertinent to a specific form of cancer.

• NCCN has created the NCCN Guidelines for Patients; based on the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology, these are meant to help patients talk with their doctor about their treatment options. Patient guidelines are available for Breast Cancer and on Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Additional guidelines are planned to be available by the end of 2010, with more in the following year.

See also

• DirectHit - pharmacodiagnostic test for breast cancer

References

• Wood EH (Jul 2004). "The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)". J Med Libr Assoc. 92 (3): 382–3. PMC 442186. 
• "New developments from National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) outlined recently" Physician Law Weekly August 1, 2007
• "New Guidelines Updates from National Comprehensive Cancer Network" Cancerwatch Online (March 2004) 13(3)
• Mustian KM, Morrow GR, Carroll JK, Figueroa-Moseley CD, Jean-Pierre P, Williams GC (2007). "Integrative nonpharmacologic behavioral interventions for the management of cancer-related fatigue". Oncologist 12 (Suppl 1): 52–67. doi:10.1634/theoncologist.12-S1-52. PMID 17573456. 
• "NCCN and ACS Team Up to Provide Easy to Understand Information on Cancer Treatment Options"

External links

• National Comprehensive Cancer Network - Physician Website
• National Comprehensive Cancer Network - Patient Website