title: Cancer coalitions and cancer politics.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the evolution of formal and informal coalitions and their involvement in cancer politics and policy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Organizational and political experience.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cancer has gone through several stages of growth, from single institutions seeking specific favorable treatment, to competitive coalitions. With more than 850 cancer organizations and associations representing the various cancer constituencies, the practicalities of politics demand some consensus and cooperation remains a significant challenge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oncology nurses must be aware of the various cancer coalitions and have an understanding of how many organizations work together for the improvement of cancer care.
authors.affiliation: Association of Community Cancer Centers, Rockville, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Lee E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Mortenson
mesh_terms: D006265:Health Care Coalitions / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000639:trends; D006291:Health Policy / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000639:trends*; D016134:Organizational Policy; D011057:Politics; D014481:United States