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 Have a question about cancer that you can’t find an answer for? Every issue Dr. Simon Sutcliffe, president of the BC Cancer Agency, will answer a question to clarify issues on cancer research, debunk myths and discuss other cancer-related subjects. If you have a burning cancer question please send it to CancerWise@bccancer.bc.ca.
Question:
I’ve read that B.C. has the highest cancer survival rates in Canada. I’ve also read that the BC Cancer Agency is continuing to focus on improving what is called “positive outcomes.” What does that exactly mean?
Answer:
Cancer patients, health professionals, BC Cancer Foundation donors and members of the public might each define the value of positive outcomes differently. All of us would agree that survival and mortality rates and quality and safety of care are very important outcome measures.
Access to care and waiting times are important measures of patient satisfaction. A donor might look at the quality of cancer facilities and technologies and the calibre of cancer professionals as highly significant, while health professionals may highly value the capacity to conduct “leading edge” cancer practice and research.
The BC Cancer Agency recognizes that there are variations in cancer outcomes nation-wide and still some regional disparities within B.C., largely because of geography, distance from care, socio-economic status, education level and lifestyle and risk factors.
The BC Cancer Agency’s task is to overcome these issues and variations, to achieve the best for everyone in B.C.
The BC Cancer Agency’s main challenge to improving outcomes is the economic reality that most of the cancer dollars are needed for the treatment and support of patients. This makes it more challenging to focus on early detection and prevention, where the greatest opportunity for improved outcomes lies.
The good news is that the BC Cancer Agency is meeting this challenge. We are doing so by:
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providing cancer screening programs as a front-line strategy;
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partnering and networking with other cancer and healthcare organizations and communities to share expertise and transfer knowledge of best practices;
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providing specific cancer prevention and intervention programs such as smoking cessation, nutrition counseling and sun safety programs;
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placing community prevention coordinators, supported by BC Cancer Foundation donors, in B.C. communities;
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promoting public and donor recognition of the necessity for investment in research to address the clinical unknowns in all aspects of cancer, from prevention to palliative care.
You can help the BC Cancer Agency improve positive outcomes by becoming a donor to the BC Cancer Foundation. The BC Cancer Agency’s ability to conduct innovative, creative research, is very much dependent on donor philanthropy, through donor support of researchers and research programs, by assisting the recruitment of leading cancer professionals and by funding new technologies.
In this way the BC Cancer Agency and donors to the BC Cancer Foundation are partners in improving positive outcomes, which goes a long way to further reducing the incidence of cancer in B.C. and elevating survival rates.
Simon B. Sutcliffe, MD, FRCP, FRCPC, FRCR
President, BC Cancer Agency
More about this article in the BC Cancer Foundation 2007 Report to Donors.
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