According to the Lancet Commission on Global Cancer Surgery, less than 25% of cancer patients worldwide receive the surgery needed for their disease. Yet, surgery for cancer is the most curative form of treatment. SSO’s mission is to advance cancer care worldwide and has partnered with various international organizations and societies to define issues and establish a path forward to improve care.
One exciting initiative will culminate this October at the World Cancer Congress in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The SSO, in collaboration with the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the World Health Organization, will present a joint session that highlights how medical education is an important investment in building a sustainable cancer care workforce, yet it is one of the most neglected areas, especially in low-income countries. It will address two World Cancer Declaration Targets on strengthening health systems to inspire the delivery of person-centered cancer control programs across life-course and describe two global and novel educational curricula of set minimum standards (that can be tailored for individual regions or countries) for training surgical and medical oncologists across the world. SSO International Committee Chair, Chandrakanth Are, MD, understands the importance of SSO participation in this meeting and said, “SSO has assumed the leading role and unifying voice for global cancer surgery through its collaborations with ASCO, WHO and other surgical oncology societies across the world.”
Maximizing the opportunity for change requires many voices at the table. To address the need for improving the quality of care worldwide, SSO continues its leadership role through the establishment of the Global Forum of Cancer Surgeons (GFCS). This group is comprised of surgical oncology leaders from 12 countries/regions. The mission of the Global Forum of Cancer Surgeons (GFCS) is to provide a voice for cancer surgeons to improve surgical care for cancer patients through clinical care, education, research, outreach, advocacy, and leadership on the global stage. Dr. Are said, “The Global Forum of Cancer Surgeons provides the platform to address disparities, and advocates for timely, safe, high-quality surgical care for cancer patients globally regardless of the geographic location or socio-economic status.” It is expected that this forum will drive efforts to develop tangible, realistic, and meaningful solutions that can be implemented with good outcomes. The third annual meeting of the GFCS will take place at SSO 2019 in San Diego, California.
Education is one of the primary pillars for improving the quality of cancer care. In 2014, SSO began signing formal Memorandums of Understanding with international societies with similar missions with the goal of developing relationships and collaborative opportunities and programs. One such program is the Faculty Exchange, where an SSO member, typically the President or President-Elect, is invited to present at partner societies’ annual meetings. This year, the SSO has been represented in South Korea, Egypt, and Japan and will present at meetings in Mexico, India, Brazil and Hungary in the coming months. SSO President, Armando E. Giuliano, MD, said, “The Faculty Exchange Program is critical to stimulating change as it encourages the exchange of ideas, allows for building relationships with international surgical leaders and enables SSO to fulfill its mission to improve multidisciplinary cancer care globally.”
For additional information on SSO’s global outreach programs please visit our website.