About the Program

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) supports comprehensive cancer control (CCC), an integrated and coordinated approach to reducing cancer incidence, morbidity, and mortality through prevention, early detection, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliation. These efforts encourage healthy lifestyles, promote recommended cancer screening guidelines and tests, increase access to quality cancer care, and improve quality of life for cancer survivors.

In 1998, CDC established the National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program (NCCCP), which provided seed money and technical support for the development and implementation of CCC plans. Today, CDC funds CCC programs in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, seven tribes and tribal organizations, and seven U.S. territories.

The National Partnership for Comprehensive Cancer Control

To help coordinate CCC efforts taking place at the national, state, local, tribal, and territorial levels, CDC works with many organizations, including—

• American Cancer Society.
• American College of Surgeons, Commission on Cancer.
• C-Change.
• Intercultural Cancer Council.
• Lance Armstrong Foundation.
• National Association of Chronic Disease Directors.
• National Association of County and City Health Officials.
• National Cancer Institute.
• North American Association of Central Cancer Registries.

Since 2000, this National Partnership for Comprehensive Cancer Control has—

• Sponsored a series of two-day seminars called CCC Leadership Institutes, designed to help cancer control leaders complete CCC plans and implement specific strategies in the plans.
• Conducted Planning Assistance Team visits, which offer targeted assistance to specific states, tribes, and territories that are experiencing unique challenges in their CCC efforts.
• Maintained Cancer Control P.L.A.N.E.T., a Web portal that provides tools for CCC planners, including state cancer profiles and links to all CCC plans.
• Launched CancerPlan.org, a Web site designed to provide cancer control planners with practical information and resources, including the ability to connect with one another.

Accomplishments

Since 1998, the number of programs participating in the NCCCP has increased from six to 65, almost all of which are in various stages of implementation.

Effective strategies for reducing cancer deaths and the number of new cases of cancer include ensuring that evidence-based screening tests and treatments are available and accessible, and reducing behavioral and environmental risk factors. Read examples of CCC programs in action.

Ongoing Work

During fiscal year 2008–2009, CDC will continue to—

• Provide seed money to help initiate and enhance CCC programs' activities.
• Offer ongoing technical assistance to programs that are developing and implementing CCC plans, including how to evaluate CCC to identify and measure accomplishments.
• Support partnerships that strengthen cancer control at the national, state and local levels.
• Broaden awareness of the CCC concept and its benefits.

Collectively, these accomplishments will improve the health of people in every stage of life—one of CDC's primary health-protection goals.

These and other public health efforts address the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Healthy People 2010 goals of reducing the overall cancer death rate to 159.9 deaths per 100,000 people, and increasing the proportion of health care providers who counsel their at-risk patients about tobacco use cessation, physical activity, and cancer screening.

Future Directions

CDC plans to conduct research and surveillance activities that will develop and evaluate comprehensive approaches to cancer prevention and control. Results will guide interventions designed to address cross-cutting issues (such as health disparities and survivorship) at state, tribal, and territorial levels.

Some of the projects already planned or underway will—

• Evaluate components of state cancer plans, and report on selected topics and issues covered by the plans.
• Evaluate national CCC outcomes.
• Develop specific program performance measures that reflect the outcomes being achieved through CCC.
• Assist states in determining the probable costs of implementing their cancer plans, and in defining strategies to obtain necessary resources.
• Conduct research to determine successful implementation strategies for CCC.