NAIROBI, KENYA [June 10, 2025] — The landscape of oncology care across Sub-Saharan Africa is undergoing a significant transformation, marked by international collaboration aimed at tailoring cancer treatment protocols to the unique challenges of the region. At the forefront of this initiative, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN), a leading consortium of U.S. cancer centers, has joined forces with the African Cancer Coalition (ACC) during the American Cancer Society (ACS) 2025 Global Academy Regional Workshop held in Nairobi, Kenya from June 9 through 11. This pivotal gathering serves as a conduit for oncology specialists worldwide to refine regional healthcare strategies and enhance patient outcomes through evidence-based, region-specific clinical guidelines.
The ACS Global Academy Regional Workshop epitomizes a global commitment to elevating cancer care, serving a dual role as both an educational platform and a collaborative forum. Central to the three-day event was the meticulous updating of NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology, harmonized for Sub-Saharan Africa’s particular epidemiologic and resource contexts. These adaptations are critical; they ensure that recommendations are not only scientifically rigorous but also pragmatically feasible in settings where diagnostic and therapeutic infrastructures vary widely. The workshop also emphasized integrating guideline implementation tools, expanding navigation programs, and enhancing provider capacities to translate guidelines into everyday clinical practice effectively.
Dr. Anu Agrawal, Vice President of Global Cancer Support at the American Cancer Society, highlighted the workshop’s unique collaborative framework. “This platform is essential for cultivating dialogue among regional healthcare providers, enabling them to drive consensus on localized needs,” she stated. Dr. Agrawal underscored the significance of updating the NCCN Harmonized Guidelines™ in close collaboration with the ACC, noting that such initiatives lay the groundwork for context-aware frameworks indispensable for tackling cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa. These efforts reflect a nuanced understanding of the region’s health disparities, infrastructural constraints, and cancer burden dynamics.
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The NCCN Guidelines® represent a gold standard in oncology care worldwide, defined by their comprehensive, dynamic, and evidence-driven nature. Serving over two million users globally across nearly 200 countries, these guidelines synthesize the latest clinical research and expert consensus into actionable treatment algorithms. The NCCN Global Program facilitates the careful translation and contextual adaptation of these guidelines, ensuring that they resonate with local realities including resource limitations, cultural factors, and prevalent cancer types. This strategic localization enhances guideline applicability, fostering improved standardization and equity in oncologic care delivery across variable healthcare environments.
During the Nairobi workshop, key NCCN Harmonized Guidelines™ were slated for crucial updates to address cancers most relevant to the Sub-Saharan African demographic and clinical profile. Among the cancers reviewed were malignancies of the cervix, bladder, liver, and colorectal regions, as well as rarer entities such as gestational trophoblastic neoplasia and penile cancers. The rationale for this focused revision stems from unique regional epidemiology—where infection-related cancers constitute a disproportionate share of disease burden—and the pressing need for guideline frameworks that reflect resource-sensitive treatment modalities and diagnostic approaches.
Crystal S. Denlinger, MD, serving as NCCN’s Chief Executive Officer and one of the key delegates at the workshop, expressed a cautiously optimistic outlook on cancer control progress in the region. “Our ongoing collaboration with ACC and ACS has yielded guidelines that balance aspirational treatment standards with on-the-ground realities,” Dr. Denlinger remarked. She emphasized that despite strides in healthcare infrastructure and provider expertise, incidence rates for many cancers continue to rise, necessitating persistent refinement of treatment paradigms grounded in emerging research and regional experiences. The workshop represents a critical mechanism ensuring that such refinements are both evidence-based and regionally attuned.
The diversity and expertise of the NCCN delegation at the workshop underscored the multidisciplinary nature of these efforts. Representing various cancer specialties and clinical guideline panels, the delegation included leaders such as Dr. Nadeem R. Abu-Rustum of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (Cervical/Uterine Cancers), Dr. Al Benson of Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center (Colon/Rectal/Anal and Hepatobiliary Cancers), and Dr. Thomas Flaig of University of Colorado Cancer Center (Bladder/Penile Cancers). Alongside clinicians, content managers and medical writers like Dr. Lisa Gurski and Dr. Vaishnavi Sambandam contributed to ensuring that the guidelines are meticulously crafted and accessible, while NCCN Global Program Director Katy Winckworth-Prejsnar steered overall strategic alignment with global objectives.
This collaboration between NCCN and ACC exemplifies a broader initiative to bridge global oncology knowledge with local African healthcare delivery systems. By harmonizing treatment guidelines with epidemiological realities and available resources, the partnership aims to catalyze more consistent and effective cancer management across diverse healthcare settings. The workshops also serve as incubators for advancing regional education in oncology navigation—a critical factor in improving patient adherence, early detection, and continuity of care, particularly vital in areas where healthcare access may be fragmented or limited.
While these guidelines form the backbone of therapeutic decision-making, the workshop also illuminated the necessity of concurrent healthcare system strengthening. Addressing gaps in diagnostic infrastructure, workforce training, and supply chain management remains essential for translating guidelines into tangible survival benefits. These multidimensional challenges underscore the importance of sustained international cooperation, not solely at the level of guideline formulation but throughout the continuum of oncology care delivery across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Moreover, innovative approaches to guideline dissemination—leveraging digital platforms and localized educational initiatives—are increasingly integral to maximizing reach and impact. The NCCN Global Program’s commitment to openness and accessibility ensures that clinicians throughout Sub-Saharan Africa have free access to these pivotal recommendations, fostering a democratization of knowledge that is pivotal in resource-variable settings. Alongside educational and policy efforts, data collection on outcomes and implementation barriers will remain critical in refining these guidelines and monitoring their real-world effectiveness.
This moment in Nairobi stands as a testament to the power of global partnerships harnessed to address one of the most pressing health challenges of our time. By honoring the nuances of Sub-Saharan Africa’s cancer burden while committing to the highest standards of evidence-based medicine, the NCCN, ACC, and ACS have laid a foundation for meaningful progress. Continued investment, innovation, and collaboration will be indispensable in turning these harmonized guidelines into improved survival and quality of life for the millions affected by cancer across the region.
For oncology professionals, policymakers, and patient advocates alike, following the evolving guidance from these harmonized efforts is paramount. More information about the NCCN Global Program’s initiatives and resources can be found at NCCN.org/global, serving as a critical platform for those dedicated to advancing cancer care equity on a global scale.
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Subject of Research: Cancer treatment guideline adaptation and implementation in Sub-Saharan Africa
Article Title: NCCN and African Cancer Coalition Collaborate to Update Cancer Treatment Guidelines for Sub-Saharan Africa at ACS 2025 Global Academy Workshop
News Publication Date: June 10, 2025
Web References:
– https://www.nccn.org/global/what-we-do
– https://www.nccn.org/guidelines/guidelines-process/about-nccn-clinical-practice-guidelines
– https://www.nccn.org/global/global-program
– http://www.nccn.org/
Image Credits: NCCN
Keywords: Africa, Cancer, Cancer policy, Cancer treatments, Oncology, Cancer patients, Economic geography, Underdeveloped areas
Tags: adapting cancer guidelines for resource-limited settingsAfrican Cancer Coalition partnershipAmerican Cancer Society Global Academycancer care in Sub-Saharan Africacancer navigation programsevidence-based cancer treatment protocolsglobal oncology collaborationinternational oncology workshopsNCCN Clinical Practice Guidelinesoncology education and trainingpatient outcomes in cancer careregional healthcare strategies for cancer