Global Forum of Cancer Surgeons: Cancer Surgery During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Impact and Lessons Learned
The purpose of this article is to summarize the opinions of the surgical oncology leaders from the Global Forum of Cancer Surgeons (GFCS) about the global impact of COVID-19 pandemic on cancer surgery.
Global Forum of Cancer Surgeons: Support for the Brazilian Society of Surgical Oncology Journey towards Implementation of Cytoreductive Surgery/Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy in Brazil
The GFCS provided a ‘Statement of Support” for the Brazilian Society of Surgical Oncology in December 2019, to be used in its supportive efforts with CONITEC. This important ‘Statement of Support’ was helpful in the discussions with the CONITEC with regard to the assimilation of new technology and procedures. The ‘Statement of Support’ from the GFCS, combined with letters of support from other specialists in the field from across the world, helped to build a broad consensus and to convince the CONITEC to incorporate CRS/HIPEC into the Brazilian Public Health System (SUS) in 2019.23,24
Global Forum of Cancer Surgeons: Position Statement to Promote Cancer Surgery Globally
It is anticipated that this position statement highlights the inadequacies and simultaneously reiterates the important role that surgery can play in the care of cancer patients. The constituent members of the Global Forum of Cancer Surgeons represent more than 75% of the global cancer burden by incidence and mortality, which should lend the much needed credence and importance to the position statement of this kind. The GFCS expects that this position statement can be used by any responsible entity that intends to promote the vital role of surgery as a part of the multidisciplinary care of cancer patients on the global stage.
Global Forum of Cancer Surgeons: Perspectives on Barriers to Surgical Care for Cancer Patients and Potential Solutions
The Global Forum of Cancer Surgeons is a stable body of cancer surgeons from across the world that can work well together and speak as one cohesive voice to address inequities in surgical care for cancer patients globally. The success of the initial qualitative pilot survey demonstrates that the Global Forum of Cancer Surgeons has the potential to play a larger role on the global stage of cancer surgery. The initial qualitative pilot survey identified barriers to surgical care with multiple common themes for the various surveyed countries. This commonality can help to build synergistic solutions that can be cost-effective when modified and implemented on the global stage.
Global Forum of Cancer Surgeons: A Steady Voice for Cancer Surgeons to Improve Surgical Care for Cancer Patients Globally
The primary measure is to ensure that GFCS speaks as one voice for all cancer surgeons to guarantee the most cohesive, viable, and vital representation on the global stage. A mission statement has been created, which states: “The mission of the Global Forum of Cancer Surgeons 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”.
Global Forum of Cancer Surgeons: Declaration of Intent
To address the impending problem of lack of adequate surgical care for cancer patients on the global stage, a group of leading surgical oncology societies gathered at the annual meeting of the Society of Surgical Oncology in Seattle, March 2017. The purpose of this forum was to chart out a roadmap to improve delivery of surgical care to cancer patients through collaborative efforts on the global stage. Following this initial effort, it is hoped that other leading societies across the world will join this consortium in the future, which will meet every year at the annual meeting of the Society of Surgical Oncology.