Journal of Cancer PolicyPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-02DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpo.2026.100712
Jorge A. Ramos-Castaneda , Deyanira A. Joven-Gonzalez , Olga Y. Cardozo-Vasquez , Viviana Perez-Becerra
{"title":"Health system barriers to early detection and timely treatment of breast cancer: A scoping review","authors":"Jorge A. Ramos-Castaneda , Deyanira A. Joven-Gonzalez , Olga Y. Cardozo-Vasquez , Viviana Perez-Becerra","doi":"10.1016/j.jcpo.2026.100712","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcpo.2026.100712","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>In 2022, breast cancer (BC) had a global mortality rate of 12.7 per 100,000 and 13.2 per 100,000 in Latin America. In Colombia, BC ranked among the leading cancers in terms of incidence and mortality. Delayed diagnosis and treatment worsen prognosis and increase both morbidity and mortality. This review aimed to describe the health system barriers to early detection and timely treatment of BC.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A scoping review was conducted following the methodology of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). The literature search was carried out in three databases (Medline/PubMed, LILACS, and ScienceDirect). Qualitative and quantitative studies published between 2000 and 2024, in either English or Spanish that examined the health system barriers to the early detection and timely treatment of BC were included. Identified barriers were categorized using the World Health Organization’s Health Systems Framework, which includes service delivery, health workforce, health information systems, access to essential medical products and technologies, health system financing, and leadership and governance.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The search yielded 2603 records, of which 18 studies were included in the review. Eight studies focused on barriers to BC treatment, while the remaining addressed barriers to early detection and diagnosis. The most common barrier identified was related to the service delivery, with geographic inaccessibility emerging as the most significant factor. The second most frequently reported barrier concerned health workforce. Financial limitations, out-of-pocket costs, and lack of resources for BC treatment were identified as financial barriers.</div></div><div><h3>Policy Summary</h3><div>Barriers to early detection and timely treatment of BC are primarily by service delivery constraints related to geographic access and health workforce barriers, particularly the absence of a doctor-patient relationship. Personal barriers, such as fear of diagnosis or associated pain, religious beliefs and practices, social stigma, and misperceptions about screening programs, were also identified.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38212,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cancer Policy","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article 100712"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146120455","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of Cancer PolicyPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-12-17DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpo.2025.100688
Julia Winter , Erland Axelsson , Stephanie Bonn , Catharina Ihre Lundgren , Linda Björkhem-Bergman , Christel Hedman
{"title":"Predictive factors of long-term fatigue in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer","authors":"Julia Winter , Erland Axelsson , Stephanie Bonn , Catharina Ihre Lundgren , Linda Björkhem-Bergman , Christel Hedman","doi":"10.1016/j.jcpo.2025.100688","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcpo.2025.100688","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":38212,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cancer Policy","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article 100688"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147394744","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of Cancer PolicyPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-09DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpo.2026.100706
Martin McMahon , Samantha Flynn , Samantha A. Johnson , Chris Stinton
{"title":"The benefits and harms of cancer screening programmes for adults with intellectual disabilities: A systematic review","authors":"Martin McMahon , Samantha Flynn , Samantha A. Johnson , Chris Stinton","doi":"10.1016/j.jcpo.2026.100706","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcpo.2026.100706","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Cancer screening programmes are an important public health initiative aimed at reducing morbidity and mortality through early cancer detection. The available evidence suggests lower screening uptake among people with intellectual disabilities, but the balance of benefits and harms of screening is unknown. The aim of this systematic review is to examine the health outcomes (mortality, morbidity) and harms of cancer screening programmes for adults with intellectual disabilities.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The review is registered on the Open Science Framework Registries: <span><span>https://osf.io/8vmkb</span><svg><path></path></svg></span>. A systematic search of published peer-reviewed and grey literature was conducted from inception up to 28th February 2025 using MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and relevant organisational websites. Experts were also consulted about evidence on the benefits and harms of cancer screening programmes for adults with intellectual disabilities. Two reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts and assessed full texts against the eligibility criteria.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>3104 records were identified, and 232 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility. No study met the inclusion criteria.</div></div><div><h3>Policy summary</h3><div>There is a lack of evidence on the benefits and harms of cancer screening programmes for people with intellectual disabilities. There are numerous studies relating to coverage, uptake, and factors influencing participation in cancer screening programmes. Participation should not be assumed to equate to better outcomes, and there is a risk of ‘equity-washing’ if this is used as a basis for practice. There is an urgent need to evaluate the entire screening pathway for people with intellectual disabilities, for the associated outcomes, benefits, and harms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38212,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cancer Policy","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article 100706"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145953130","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of Cancer PolicyPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-18DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpo.2026.100708
Mark Lawler , Csaba L. Degi , Lauren Diamond , Katie Thurston-Smith
{"title":"Analysis and recommendations to improve national cancer control plans and policies informed by a 20 country analysis","authors":"Mark Lawler , Csaba L. Degi , Lauren Diamond , Katie Thurston-Smith","doi":"10.1016/j.jcpo.2026.100708","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcpo.2026.100708","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>As the global burden of cancer increases, international and national policymakers have made notable progress with the development of national cancer control plans (NCCPs). An increasing number of countries have published and updated their NCCPs; their design and implementation vary widely.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A literature scoping review was conducted to understand common challenges and progress in NCCPs across 20 representative countries based on a framework drafted to reflect the European Beating Cancer Plan and World Health Organisation’s guidance on NCCPs. In total, 103 sources were used for the analysis. These comprised of 42 official NCCPs, five accompanying documents, whilst the remainder (56) included other government official reports, academic, and grey literature. The research followed a standardised framework used to evaluate policies across five pillars: prevention, early detection, care, treatment, and quality-of-life.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Across the 20 NCCPs, 65% assigned implementation of objectives to key stakeholders. A total of 25% of NCCPs did not include details on the allocated budget for implementation. Overall, there was variation in the definition of clear objectives and actionable targets across pillars. In the ‘Prevention’ pillar, most plans addressed reducing risk factors (80%), but less than half focus on increasing people’s awareness (40%). For ‘Early Detection’, 50% of NCCP included targets for cancer screening programmes, while 25% included targets for advanced diagnostics. NCCPs included well-defined objectives across ‘Care’ mechanisms, including centres of excellence (35%), multi-stakeholder engagement (50%), informed providers (40%), and cancer registries (55%). The pillar focused on ‘Treatment’ generally lacked actionable objectives, with low proportion of NCCPs having objectives related to early access (10%), access and reimbursement (15%), and none for regulatory approval or evidence requirements. Finally, plans demonstrated a relatively strong focus on ‘Quality-of-Life’ policy mechanisms, with clear goals and targets for palliative care (60%), support programmes (60%). ‘Research and Innovation’ and objectives related to these domains were highlighted across the cancer care continuum (65%). From a country perspective, NCCP Governance Scores (a measure of the inclusion of targeted, actionable objectives, allocated budgets, clearly assigned responsibilities, and monitoring reports) were highest in France, Ireland and Japan and lowest in Austria, Brazil, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Sweden and Turkiye, whereas NCCP Policy Indices (a measure of the inclusion of targeted, actionable objectives in each policy pillar) were higher in Belgium and Ireland and lower in Germany, Mexico, Switzerland The Netherlands and the US.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>We propose the following recommendations to further enhance NCCPs: 1) Strengthen measurable and actiona","PeriodicalId":38212,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cancer Policy","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article 100708"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146012776","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of Cancer PolicyPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-30DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpo.2026.100710
Ernest Adankwah , Adwoa Bemah Boamah Mensah , Thomas Konney , Madalyn Nones , Rita Ziem Ekekpi , Joshua Okyere , Laud Anthony Basing , Kwame Ofori Boadu , Felicia Maame Efua Eduah , Beth Virnig , Shalini Kulasingam
{"title":"A pilot study on the acceptability and feasibility of HPV self-sampling for cervical cancer screening among women attending urban hospitals in Kumasi, Ghana","authors":"Ernest Adankwah , Adwoa Bemah Boamah Mensah , Thomas Konney , Madalyn Nones , Rita Ziem Ekekpi , Joshua Okyere , Laud Anthony Basing , Kwame Ofori Boadu , Felicia Maame Efua Eduah , Beth Virnig , Shalini Kulasingam","doi":"10.1016/j.jcpo.2026.100710","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcpo.2026.100710","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Self-sampled HPV testing followed by timely treatment has shown promise in increasing screening uptake and improving cervical cancer outcomes. However, in low-resource countries like Ghana, its adoption and sustainability face significant challenges.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This cross-sectional pilot study comprised a convenience sample of women presenting at two healthcare facilities in Ghana: Kumasi South Hospital and South Suntreso Hospital. Following consent, a pre-and post-collection survey was administered by a trained study nurse to examine women's preferences and experiences with self-sampling. Participants were then asked to self-collect an HPV sample followed by a clinician-conducted exam using visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA). Samples were tested for HPV genotypes using the Seegene Anyplex HPV28 Test.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Sixty women were enrolled. After performing HPV self-collection, 91.7 % (n = 55) stated that they would prefer self-sampling instead of a clinician-collected Pap smear. Prior to the self-collection process, 40.0 % (24 women) gave high ratings for the overall acceptability of HPV self-collection. This increased to 86.7 % (52 women) after the self-collection process. Of the 60 women, 25 % (15/60) tested positive for HPV and 6.7 % (4/60) were confirmed positive by VIA examination. Overall agreement between the two procedures was fair (κ=0.24).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This pilot study supports the feasibility of HPV self-sampling and its potential to increase access to cervical screening in Ghana.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38212,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cancer Policy","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article 100710"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146100891","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of Cancer PolicyPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-12-18DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpo.2025.100695
Claire Poole , Michelle Leech , Laure Marignol
{"title":"Barriers to radiation therapy Access: A Multi-stakeholder exploration across Europe","authors":"Claire Poole , Michelle Leech , Laure Marignol","doi":"10.1016/j.jcpo.2025.100695","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcpo.2025.100695","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":38212,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cancer Policy","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article 100695"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147394339","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of Cancer PolicyPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-16DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpo.2026.100718
Rashidul Alam Mahumud , Yifu Chen , Padam Kanta Dahal , Nasrin Akter , Md Shahjalal , Khorshed Alam
{"title":"Economic value, affordability, and scale-up of adjuvant immunotherapies in lung cancer treatment: From cost-effectiveness decision to budget impact analysis","authors":"Rashidul Alam Mahumud , Yifu Chen , Padam Kanta Dahal , Nasrin Akter , Md Shahjalal , Khorshed Alam","doi":"10.1016/j.jcpo.2026.100718","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcpo.2026.100718","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Adjuvant immunotherapies have transformed lung cancer management by improving survival and patient-reported quality of life. However, their high acquisition costs and uncertainty around real-world economic value raise concerns regarding health system affordability and long-term sustainability. This study assessed the cost-effectiveness of adjuvant immunotherapies and evaluated their projected budget impact under plausible real-world adoption scenarios.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We systematically reviewed published economic evaluations of adjuvant immunotherapies in lung cancer from 2010 to 2024. Eligible studies included cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analyses comparing immune checkpoint inhibitors with standard chemotherapy or best supportive care. Data on costs, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs), and willingness-to-pay (WTP) thresholds were extracted and narratively synthesised. For therapies judged cost-effective, we conducted a five-year (2025–2029) budget impact analysis using ISPOR-consistent methods, with costs standardised to 2024 US dollars. Three adoption scenarios were modelled: a base-case phased adoption (10 %–50 %), an accelerated uptake scenario (30 %–50 %), and a restricted uptake scenario (10 %–30 %), to examine the sensitivity of affordability to alternative implementation pathways.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Thirty-five economic evaluations of adjuvant immunotherapies for lung cancer were included (33 NSCLC and 2 SCLC studies). Frequently evaluated agents were pembrolizumab (n = 11), nivolumab (n = 8), atezolizumab (n = 6), and durvalumab (n = 5), alongside emerging agents including icotinib, sintilimab, sugemalimab and camrelizumab. Overall, adjuvant immunotherapies were associated with improved health outcomes compared with standard chemotherapy, with incremental gains of ∼0.3–0.5 QALYs in several US/European models and gains of ≥ 1.0 QALY in selected biomarker-defined population or Chinese cohorts. However, per-patient costs were substantially higher, ranging from modest increases (∼US$4000 with icotinib) to totals >US$230,000–390,000 for PD-1/PD-L1 based regimens and > 10-fold higher than standard care in some middle-income settings. ICERs ranged from highly favourable estimates (e.g. icotinib ∼US$3440/QALY; selected pembrolizumab, sintilimab, sugemalimab, squamous-specific nivolumab and CAD strategies within local WTP thresholds) to clearly non-cost-effective values (>US$300,000–600,000/QALY) for broad, unselected use, combination regimens, and several SCLC indications.</div><div>Fo interventions judged cost-effective, five-year dudget impact estimates for cost-effective options indicated substantial 5-year incremental spending (from low millions up to >US$400 million), while a small subset of regimens were cost-saving or near budget-neutral, underscoring the need for targeted adoption and price negotiation i","PeriodicalId":38212,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cancer Policy","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article 100718"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146221374","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of Cancer PolicyPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-26DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpo.2026.100722
Soumendu Sen , Sanjay K. Mohanty , Tabassum Wadasadawala , Suraj Maiti
{"title":"The extent of indebtedness among breast cancer survivors in India: A prospective longitudinal study from a tertiary cancer hospital","authors":"Soumendu Sen , Sanjay K. Mohanty , Tabassum Wadasadawala , Suraj Maiti","doi":"10.1016/j.jcpo.2026.100722","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcpo.2026.100722","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The study examines the extent of loans and debts for patients with breast cancer across different phases of their treatment in India.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This study used primary data of 500 breast cancer patients who sought treatment during 2019–2023 at Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India. This study is registered on the clinical trial registry of India (CTRI/2019/07/020142) on 10/07/2019. Data on economic burden was collected at three phases: baseline or at the time of registration to the hospital, endline or after completion of the treatment, and follow-up or after six months of post-treatment period. The outcome variables were the proportion of patients taken loan, loan sources, loan amount. Bivariate and two-part model were used to explore the determinants and estimate the amount of loan.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>The proportion of patients taking loans increased from 37.8% at baseline to 64.6% at endline and 68.9% at follow-up. Mean loan amount rose from ₹20,399 (9.2% of annual income) at baseline to ₹115,340 (47.4% of annual income) at follow-up. Younger patients, those with lower education, lower income quintiles, and rural residence were more likely to take loans. Loan sources shifted from friends and relatives at baseline to moneylenders at endline and follow-up. Significant factors influencing loan amount included income quintile, distance to the treatment center, marital status, and stage of cancer.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>As the treatment progresses, increase in loan amount and the shifts towards informal, high-interest lending sources are alarming concerns. These findings highlight the need for improved financial protection mechanisms and targeted support for vulnerable cancer patients to prevent medical impoverishment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38212,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cancer Policy","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article 100722"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147318481","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}