Situation analysis of the National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program (2013) in the I. R. of Iran; assessment and recommendations based on the IAEA imPACT mission.
BACKGROUND
Iran was engaged in the Program of Action for Cancer Therapy (PACT) in 2012, and delegates from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and the World Health Organization (WHO) evaluated the National Cancer Control Program (NCCP) status (the imPACT mission), based on which they provided recommendations for improvements of NCCP in the I.R. of Iran. We reported the results of this situational analysis and discussed the recommendations and their implication in the promotion of NCCP in the I.R. of Iran.


METHODS
International delegates visited the I.R. of Iran and evaluated different aspects and capacities of NCCP in Iran. In addition, a Farsi version of the WHO/IAEA self-assessment tool was completed by local experts and stakeholders, including experts from different departments of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME) and representatives from the National Cancer Research Network (NCRN). Following these evaluations, the PACT office provided recommendations for improving the NCCP in Iran. Almost all the recommendations were endorsed by MOHME.


RESULTS
The PACT program provided 31 recommendations for improvement of NCCP in Iran in six categories, including planning, cancer registration and information, prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment, and palliative care. The most important recommendation was to establish a strong, multi-sectoral NCCP committee and develop an updated national cancer control program.


CONCLUSIONS
The imPACT mission report provided a comprehensive view about the NCCP status in Iran. An appropriate response to these recommendations and filing the observed gaps will improve the NCCP status in the I.R. of Iran.
Cancer Research Center, Cancer Institute of Iran, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.kzendeh@tums.ac.ir.
Mohammad Reza
MR
Rouhollahi
Cancer Research Center, Cancer Institute of Iran, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Mohammad Ali
MA
Mohagheghi
Cancer Research Center, Cancer Institute of Iran, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Narges
N
Mohammadrezai
Cancer Research Center, Cancer Institute of Iran, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Reza
R
Ghiasvand
2)Cancer Office, Non-Communicable Disease Control Center, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, The I.R. of Iran. 3)Cancer Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 4)Department of Clinical Oncology, Imam Hossein Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Ali
A
Ghanbari Motlagh
Cancer Research Center, Cancer Institute of Iran, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Iraj
I
Harirchi
1)Cancer Research Center, Cancer Institute of Iran, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 5)Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
Kazem
K
Zendehdel
D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D010166:Palliative Care; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012042:Registries